


The Façade

by Magus_Argentum



Category: The Legend of Zelda
Genre: Drama, Gen, no specific timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-10
Updated: 2013-10-31
Packaged: 2017-12-18 08:41:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/877851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magus_Argentum/pseuds/Magus_Argentum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the last one of the resistance had finally fallen, Ganondorf establishes his evil reign over Hyrule with him as the undisputed sovereign.<br/>However, as he reaches the pinnacle of his domination, he soon gets aware of the terrible fate a hero will offer him if he does not find a way to eliminate him beforehand. A way that may even blur the line between good and evil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Dark Lord – Rise of an Emperor

With a clanging sound, the sword touched the ground and was soon followed by its wielder.  
He was the last one. With him down, the entire resistance had fallen. The ones that opposed him were now shrouded in their own blood, meaning that no one remained who could claim back the country from his hands anymore. After a cruel invasion, the prosperous Kingdom of Hyrule finally belonged to him. To him alone.

A mischievous expression ranged all over his face when he walked through the corridors. They were filled with dead bodies of different members of the Hyrulian tribes, who formed an alliance in order to stop him, though the only ones left now were monsters, prevailing victorious over them.

This massacre was inevitable once he got to know the secret position of their head quarter. He did not hesitate to mobilize his army to get rid of his adversaries, albeit many of his own followers would lose their life in the attack. Even though he preferred to be a commandant, observing the situation and giving orders, he wanted to face the generals all by himself. They were the only ones he deemed worthy for a fight.

There was no denying in the facts that they were strong and skilled, his followers would not stand up to them. Neither would he if it was not for the ancient power that was now residing inside him. This one kept him alive and granted him powers, which pushed him through every single one of them. It was one of the greatest pleasures to see their pain when they felt victim to his sword or magic, knowing they would lose their most precious fatherland to their mortal enemy.

However, once the battle was over and the heat of his blood cooled down, he felt the impact of their attacks. They were also visible on his armor as it was tinted in the same color as his hair through the spilled blood of his enemies and his own. He ignored them at first but the injuries seemed to be much deeper, soon resulting in blurring his field of vision.

Maybe it was even too much for his body. But he did not care. He had killed them. He had eliminated the resistance. He had won. He had become the indisputable King of Hyrule.

The last thing he witnessed was one of his own people, a Gerudo, who shouted worried, “Lord Ganondorf, are you alright?”  
However, he never answered her as everything around him turned dark. At this moment, his body could not deal with the wounds anymore.

* * *

The wind howled into his ears when he walked across the fields. Those who were now scarred with despair… destruction… and death. The green landscapes that once covered Hyrule, they had since long gone, vanished for a territory of corruption.

It satisfied him from his innermost because he knew it all belonged to him. He was the lone ruler, who could decide everything on his own. His reign would remain as long as he lived and with the ancient power inside him, this could be an eternity.

The satisfaction disappeared from his face when a man from beyond told him, “I am here to take back what you have stolen unlawfully, to revenge all those you made suffer. The time has come to bring justice over you and sentence you for the crimes you committed.”

He turned around, feeling that his fury awakened by the arrogance of these words. However, once he faced the foolish big mouth, his rage changed into a hateful laughter. His eyes met that of a small blond Hylian, wearing a green tunic and a pointy hat, with a pathetic excuse of a sword in his left hand.  
He, the Great King, should be brought down by such a squirt? It could almost be called blasphemy.

“Have you lost your mind? Revenge? You can be grateful if you accomplish to survive this encounter. However, your chances are small since you’ve said the wrong words to the wrong man,” he responded disdainful while he drew his sword. This one would soon rest besides all the other who covered the fields. Forever.

The swords were clashing and he had to admit that this Hylian was a lot more skillful than his outer appearance assumed. The small body seize gave him another advantage as it was more difficult to hit a small and fast enemy.  
He underestimated him. He definitely underestimated him drastically.

The fight lasted long and his feelings of superiority soon turned into a blind rage. His only desire left was to remorseless annihilate this arrogant man but he could not achieve it. By all his mighty powers, the stranger was still standing and offered a resistance no one other has ever before.

“Why don’t you just go down like all the other lowlifes?” he roared once their swords collided and both stood face to face towards each other.

“Like I said, I am here to revenge those you drowned into despair. A tyrant that exploits, that murders, that marauds the kingdom of mine is not worth to be a sovereign,” the Hylian responded calm. “Every sin you cause will only make me, and my willpower to stop you, stronger.”

This was the moment the Hylian showed him the meaning of his words as he repelled him. He stumbled backwards, leaving himself open for attacks, which got soon exploited by skillful strikes. The man, he gained the upper hand and with a last launch he was sent down to earth.  
He saw the stranger jumping high in the air and he knew what was coming to him. But it was too late to avoid it.

This could not be true. It just could not. But it was. It just was. He was utterly defeated.  
The man hunkered upon him, his hands encompassing the hilt while the blade had found its way through his chest. After the first shock vanished, a pain of an intensity he never felt before took its place instead. It not only felt like he got pierced by the sword, it felt like it spread across his entire body and intended to incinerate him from the inside.  
This sword. It was not a normal one. It possessed a power within that responded vigorous towards his evil soul.

It was the first time in his life that he screamed out of pain and he only barely heard what the man was telling him, “Remember these words of wisdom, Ganondorf. Our history is written in blood, century over century, but Courage has and always will surpass Power. It is an inevitable destiny that, despite all your might, you cannot escape. Never.”

He fought against the dark that was coming but the shape of the Hylian blurred more and more and the only thing left was an unbearable pain.

* * *

With a load noise, he crashed on the ground, still struggling to lessen the pain. His body was bathed in perspiration and his breath was heavy as he slowly realized that it was just a dream and he was in fact back at his castle. However, despite it only being a nightmare, his chest still hurt remorseless like an old wound had reopened.

Only a few seconds passed by when a Gerudo came rushing into the room, “What happened, my Lord? I’m sure I heard you screaming, so who’s the one responsible for it?” she asked harshly with a dangerous glare in her eyes which soon changed as she saw him on the floor.

It must have left quite a weird impression to see him only with the bandages while he was pressing frantically his hands against the chest like there was a mortal wound.

“Ehm… Is everything okay with you? Or should I better call someone to see after you?” She tried to sound helpful but he could hear her suspicion nonetheless.

Although he wanted to move into a more relaxed position to make it look less ridiculous, it was impossible as the pain grew stronger by then. Even though he felt entirely different on the inside and his body spoke another language as well, he responded in a neutral fashion, “No, it’s alright. Anything else you want to tell? Otherwise, I don’t appreciate your presence by now.”

“Well, if everything is alright,” she answered suspicious, “then, you know, we have meat and so on prepared. But maybe, I don’t intend to offend you, but… it may be nonetheless better… for your health, you know… if you may take a longer rest. Just saying.”

“Get out!” he yelled and added commanding without caring for her advice, “And better forget everything about this if you value your life!”

“As you wish, my king,” she said quickly and left. But he could nevertheless hear her mumbling, “Men and their quirks. By the Goddess of the Sand, who understands them?”

It was her luck that she was a Gerudo. Therefore he refrained from killing her to witness him in this pathetic situation and to make ineptus statements. Even though he mostly cared for himself and his needs, he still held dear his own kind. A tribe of thieves with just one man born every hundred years and who was destined to be their king with the duty to protect them and bring glory.

However, he was the first one who pushed it to an extreme when he decided to conquer Hyrule and finally succeeded, relying on the immense power he got granted, his people and an army of monsters. Partly living beings, partly summoned shells by his black magic. He pulled his conquest through under the disguise to give his people a better life than the one the desert offered them, but he never told anybody that it was more to satisfy his desire, if not greed, for power and domination.

When the pain finally faded away to a degree where he could get out of the uncomfortable position, he stood up and searched for clothing as he felt hungry and neither intended to lay around dormant. In the end, there was a kingdom he finally owned and it was time to establish his reign absolutely.

In order to reach the hall that they used for dinner and conferences, he walked across the dark tremendous corridors of his castle. Previously, it belonged to the, now murdered, royal family but he had changed its shape to fit his own taste even though the Hyrulians most likely would consider it scary due to his architecture and decoration.

But this time it did not give him the pleasure he normally had. He still could neither believe how real the dream felt nor that the pain remained even after he was awake. It was the first time he had ever experienced an issue like this and he had none explanation for it at all.

When he entered the hall, his thoughts vanished because his followers ensured that the acoustic level was high while they pitched into the meal. He crossed it and sat down at the head of the table but before he had even a chance to look at his dinner, he was greeted by the woman besides him, “You’re already awake? I fear that fate is working against me.” She sighed load. “I really hoped you do me a favor and would be absence for longer than two lousy days.”

His palms dropped down on the table while he groaned annoyed.  
This woman, it was always the same with her. He even stopped counting how often she brought off these sardonic remarks. However, she was also the only one who did it frequently. He let her get away with it far more nonviolent compared to all the others and this was not solely because of her leader status amongst the Gerudo.

“Nabooru. Apparently I’ve passed out for two days and the first thing you tell me, your king, is this? Where are your manners?” he said humorless.

Her expression remained undeterred she responded, “Ganondorf. You, and I mean especially you, my king, should know at best that the Gerudo are not blessed with great manners.”  
There was no reasonable answer he could give her. No, there was none. Her pronouncement was downright true.

Once the dinner was over, he intended to further discuss the actions to establish his reign. Not that he could call it a discussion for real as he was the one giving orders, telling the different divisions which part of the country they should raid and spread fear and terror.  
The remaining Hyrulians should get more than aware of their new ruler and the downfall of the resistance.

However, he had to witness that not everybody agreed with his plans. A cheeky Boblin seemed to be unpleasant with his decisions and made no secret of it, “I don’t want to go to this sticky volcano. It’s hot and ugly and disgusting and the worst; these inhabitants smell like old cheese.”

“What wazz that?” interrupted a Lizalfos, who belonged to the same troop, irascible “I loathe old cheezze, it stinkzz. I don’t want to do this, find another moron.”

“Ganon, why don’t you just go there? With your power and stuff and so on it should be easy for you. It’s better than just sitting around, nonetheless,” added a Bokoblin.

“Yeah, support this idea without any complaints. Cool idea, you go,” stated the Boblin from before.

Soon after they writhed in pain on the floor when he casted a torture spell on them. It was incredible how foolish or retarded some of his minions could be, especially for pathetic reasons like these. They all knew how much he loathed it if his orders got questioned or even ignored.

“Does anyone else have a complaint and feels the urgent need to tell me about it?” Annoyed he tripped with his fingers on the table before he continued shortly after, “If it’s not the case, I recommend not losing any more time and getting it done. Unless, of course, someone else likes to join them.”

The answer he got from his monster was that they all stood up and tried to get out as soon as possible. In the end, he was renowned to make his menace a reality without any mercy. Even though he had to remind them of it, sometimes.

“I think you’ve set a new record,” declared Nabooru as the hall was almost empty and his incantation slowly vanished. “It’s only a few hours since you’re awake and you’re already obnoxious as always. Is it that much fun to treat everyone like a doormat?”

“I can’t remember that I’ve asked for your opinion, have I?” he responded bugged.

“Don’t worry, your memory doesn’t fail you. However, since you never ask for anything, I have to give you my view every now and then unquestioned,” said Nabooru straight-faced.

He did not respond but his sinister gaze told her that she was scratching at his limits and should better leave. She understood. They knew each other long enough since they had grown up together and shared many experiences through different phases of life. Due to their origins and the general lifestyle of the Gerudo, they behaved rough towards each other and almost never had any nice words to say. However, it never equaled aversion. Otherwise, he would have long gotten rid of her.

When Nabooru stood at the doorframe, she turned around once more and told him, “Oh, and if I may give you another unasked advice. Sometimes it’s useful to listen to what others have to say, including your followers and your enemies, instead of slaying them down immediately when they say anything that doesn’t taste you.”

 “Get you gone before you’re the next one that gets slaughtered!” he roared and his upcoming fury was already visible in purple magic waves that surrounded his hand. She left wordless.  
He was well-known for if he lost control to his rage, there was nothing and no one he spared. Neither was there anyone who could stop him. At least, he believed he was unstoppable until the day passed by and made place for the night.


	2. The Dark Lord – The inevitable Destiny

The moon had climbed up into the sky, drowning the environment in a gruesome light, when he crossed them again. Those fields full of bloodshed, covered by the fallen ones. Reflecting the misery of the survivors. Though it was a territory of corruption before, scarred with death and destruction, this time the atmosphere was even more lugubrious like it wanted to portray the further despair that he brought over the kingdom.

Ever since he walked on the fields again, he could not shake off the feeling that he was persecute. But there was no possible hiding for a hunter. He smiled mischievous when he realized how unnecessary these worries were. Even if there was one, lusting for his life, he would feel the steel and meet the same fate like all the other foolish ones that crossed his path.

“I see. You’ve returned to the place of your disgraceful deeds,” someone addressed him from behind.

For a second, his blood froze. This voice. He recognized it, he could not be mistaken.  
He turned around and it was indeed him, appearing out of nowhere. The Hylian, the only one that brought indeed the fate he offered others to himself. The only one that ever defeated him. The one that had hurt his pride.

“You again,” he grinded with his teeth while he tried to calm down his temper. “I have to admit; the last time you got me. But I was careless. You can’t rely on your luck again.”

The hand slipped to his sword. He would pay him back the humiliation he caused to him at their first encounter. There was no possibility he would lose again because the last time, he was unprepared and underestimated him due to his slimly built in contrast to his own. He made this mistake once and paid a high price for it. A very high and painful one. He would never commit this fault a second time.

“You disappoint me. You haven’t learnt one single thing,” the stranger answered straight.

“Hold your tongue, big mouth. This time you’re done for good,” he responded while he started to attack.

Again the swords were clashing against each other, echoing over the fields, but he was different this time. His determination, it had grown, along with his skill, speed and overall swordsmanship. This was not the one he met before. He was stronger, a lot stronger.

“This is impossible! How can you improve in this degree in such a short period of time?” he yelled when they stood again eye to eye while their swords were clenching into each other.

“I have told you,” the Hylian responded behaved. “Every sin you cause will only make me, and my willpower to stop you, stronger. If you don’t understand its meaning than this is due to your lack of wisdom.”

The arrogance of the man was obnoxious. This one had to go down, paying for his insults against him, by all means. However, no matter how powerful or remorseless he attacked him, he was unable to send him to an eternal rest. It was unbelievable that he, out of all living beings, lacked the power to destroy him.

The fight lasted on, until one point when the man was dangerously nearby him. His speed was incredible and he had a hard time to follow his movements. When he lost track of him for a short time, he barely heard his words, “Remember, Ganondorf. Your downfall is inevitable for it is written within your destiny. You cannot, despite all your might, escape it. Never.”

When he saw him again, it was too late. It was too late to avoid what was coming to him. His eyes, they faced the point of the blade directly between them.

“Not the head!” he screamed, pressing his hands against his forehead, before he crashed on the ground in his castle. This pain, it was again this pain, even lasting after his awakening that affected every single part of him. He grasped for air but it felt like he get none as his entire body felt paralyzed, denying its work. It was gruesome, just gruesome like it was trying to kill him.

He rested longer on the floor, covered in sweat with a heavy breath, only slowly recovering from the nightmare. Whatever this was, he definitely had never experienced anything near this before.

A day passed, a week, half a month, than a full one. In every night, in every single night in the past month, he met him again on the fields, which had become more and more an abomination of themselves. However, not only the fields changed their shape, the Hylian did as well. Not his outer appearance but his skills, his strength and his determination.

He had to witness that, on their last encounters, he could not offer him a threat anymore. Every fight resulted in the same fate of utter defeat that came sooner to him every time. Pierced through the chest, the forehead, even the heart and throat by the sword that repelled his evil and caused a pain far beyond bearableness, burning through his entire body.

Every time he woke up with the phantom pain, which felt like it would kill him, and more than once he had lost his consciousness for a few minutes due to it. It was impossible to ignore the nightmares anymore and wait that they might vanish themselves. He already noticed how they affected his general mood. He was far more irritated than normal and reached the limits of his patience a lot sooner. If it would go on like this, it was only a matter of time before this Hylian would drive him into insanity. There was no denying he had to find the source or even better, a solution for his ‘inevitable destiny’.

At first he thought that one of the generals skilled in sorcery had laid a curse upon him, to be haunted by one of their kind. Such incantations existed though the extreme powerful ones needed sacrifice of a high price, but if they knew they would die, it would make sense they offered their life for it nonetheless.

However, there was one single fact which contradicted this assumption as a whole. He himself was a powerful warlock, who mastered the black arts almost to perfection. Even though he might not be able to prevent the curse immediately, he would have noticed it in every case. The reason must be something else. Something beyond his reach, something he could not control.

The further he thought about it, the more he came to the conclusion that everything indicated that it was not only a returning nightmare, but a reflection of reality. Maybe a similar event occurred in the past; however, it was more likely a prophecy about the future. His future.

He felt the fury arising inside him as it meant his reign would not end due to his finite life span, but an individual that opposed him. One whose courage was greater than his power.

It needed one more night which got him out of his helplessness. Though he was engulfed in the sword’s might, tortured with pain which made his body to fail him again, he finally understood them. He got the meaning of the hero’s words, together with the source of his strength, and how he foolishly caused to increase it himself.

He smiled sinister as the only thing left now in order to get rid of this hero was a plan. The most obvious one would have been to order his minions to search and destroy him. However, he could be everyone, as he neither knew if he shared the same appearance nor who or where he was. Just killing anyone could easily fail because if he missed him, he would play directly into the hands of destiny and create an obstacle he could not overcome. Meaning he would lose his kingdom.

He had to go for another plan, one that was unorthodox. Extremely unorthodox. He even considered this plan disgusting because it did not fit his normal behavior at all. However, if his assumptions were right, this scheme could very well change his ‘inevitable’ fate and to avoid this had the highest priority. No matter the price.  
He would not allow the rise of a hero and that he got defeated by this one to lose the kingdom. Not in this life.

* * *

He gathered his followers at the same day in a conference to involve them into his scheme. The atmosphere was cheerful and all were excited for his orders how to plague the kingdom further. However, he remained silent until one of his beasts could not wait anymore and asked impatiently, “Tell us, Lord Ganondorf, which part of this country we will raid now? The eastern? The North?”

“We don’t raid anything anymore,” he responded cold and when some looked questioning at him he explained, “I’ve thought about it and I’ve come to the conclusion it only causes revolts and rebellion. If not yet, than in a few years if we continue to reign through evil and fear. And even if we would eliminate all those who despise us, no one would remain and there is no meaning to rule over no one. Instead of spreading destruction and despair any further, we should see that we get this kingdom back to its former glory that the Hyrulians don’t see us as usurpers anymore.”

The first reaction he got from them was evil laughter. They believed that he had one of his rare moments where he joked, but his expression did not change and they stopped as they noticed he was still straight-faced and realized he was serious. The reaction he earned afterwards was pure silence. Never had he seen that many jaws dropping down in an instant, leaving only speechless beasts and people behind.

A good amount of time passed by before one of the Gerudo recovered his tongue again and had additionally the courage to ask him, “My Lord Ganondorf, do you really said we should stop raiding the country and come up for the damage we’ve caused?”

“You’ve heard it. I do not intend to repeat myself,” he answered bald.

An outcry of outrage filled the hall once the monsters realized what he actually demanded from them. A few were furious enough to put their indignation into words with a threatening gesture.  
“Lost your mind, dude? Did you become a coward?” rebelled a Stalfos.

“Are you an imposter or somethin’? This is big bullshit!” continued a Boblin before their screams of pain even surpassed the noise level of the rest of the revolting beasts. He did not hesitate a second to let them vanish inside a purple vortex and their only remains were a pile of dust.

“Neither do I appreciate it if my person gets questioned,” he added menacing once the silence returned and the rest of the mob looked frightened at their former comrades.

He let some time pass to see if someone else had any other inappropriate comments or actions for him. However, it was no surprise that nobody dared to say a single word. They knew it before and he made it very clear again that no one, definitely no one, approached him in the wrong way, no matter what he said, and get away with it unpunished.

“Now that I’ve made my position clear, has any other one a problem with it? If so, I recommend speaking it out now,” menacing he looked around but everyone tried to avoid his gaze. “Otherwise I’ll assume you all agree.”

Everybody nodded wordless.  
“That’s a lot better. If it’s settled now, we start with it today. I’ll tell you later my precious orders.”

He stood up in order to leave the hall. The disbelief in the faces of his followers, like he had become a retarded man, was still more than visible. It was foreseeable they needed their time to realize it though he expected far more resistance to get his will. But it seemed like they understood very soon that complaints would only be painful or deadly for them as he was still by far the most powerful amongst them. They would not stand even a slight chance if he utilized his entire power. And he was reserved in using them even against his own if necessary.

While he walked through the dark corridors, his thoughts were still at the conference. If he was honest, it was even hard for him to believe that he demanded such a procedure. In regard that he was born into a tribe of bandits and he spent his whole life taking everything he wanted from others through robbery, manipulation and murder, it did not fit his nature. Furthermore, to compensate for the damage he caused or even to help others was never a theme that bothered him at all at any given time.

He was interrupted in his thinking when a hand touched his shoulder. He turned his head sideward and looked into the face of Nabooru.  
“Ganondorf. I’m absolutely earnest with you now. For the first time in my life, you left me just speechless. I’ve never spend that much effort into figuring out the ulterior motive in your scheme and I’m still unable to see it at all. What new evilness is going on in your mind that you act out of character in this degree?”

He looked at her in a way of incomprehension when he responded, “What’s your problem now? First you complained that I treat everyone like a doormat, as you said, and now you complain that I changed my mind to do better. I would appreciate it if you could finally decide what you actually want or even better, just stop complaining at all.”

He witnessed her suspicion. He saw it immediately in her eyes that she would never believe it. He could never fool her, everyone but her.  
“I won’t deny it, Ganondorf. People can change their mind for good. However, every rule has its exception. One of these is an old acquaintance who’s standing directly in front of me. You’ve never even thought about doing anything that could not be used for your own benefit. I know your nature long enough and this doesn’t allow for such a sincere change of heart. Tell me, what’s the meaning of your façade?”

The only thing he gave her was a mischievous smile. Her assumption was downright true but it was predictable she would see through it in an instant.

However, there was no need that she became aware of his true reasons. It was a matter between him and this hero. His determination to destroy him increased because he caused misery upon the inhabitants of Hyrule. It was a logical consequence that they all would aid one that was destined to end their suffering. However, if they do not have a strong reason anymore to support their hero and settled to their daily life without great fear, than, one day, Power would indeed surpass Courage.

The day the hero succumbed in his nightmares and vanished in reality, changing the destiny, would be the day he turned back to his old nature. Hyrule might be safe from his reckless domination now, but it would not be safe forever.

 


	3. The Hero – Words from Wisdom

“Let it go. It’s too dangerous to follow it, even for you. You know as well as I do that the territory is known for his bloodthirsty inhabitants,” his old childhood friend told him. “We better watch out for another dinner.”

Wordless he looked at him before his view changed back towards the environment enhanced in solid stone monuments. They had reached the end of the forest where the ground was covered with green and was now replaced by a deadly desert of rocks.

However, he still hesitated as he disliked the idea to let the boar-like creature escape. The catch would have been ideal. Almost perfect. It seemed delicious and it would have saturated a lot of them. It was hard to accept that the people, who counted on him, would have to content themselves with vegetable food again because of his incapacity. He always despised it to disappoint people, especially the ones he cared for.

“Come on now, let’s search for fruits again,” recommended his friend but he had other plans. Only barely heard him yelling afterwards, “Stop! What are you doing? This is foolish! Come back!”

Even though he valued the opinions of others, he did not care for his advice this time. It was true that it was dangerous to leave the forest, but it had been days since their last success of hunting. He would not let the ones, who reckoned on him, hang again. Furthermore, danger was an old companion of his but there was also one other that always surpassed him. That old friend was called courage, who was emphasized with his willpower to help others.

He hunted after the beast, following it through the stone path, before he finally got a chance to jump on its back and to pull it down to earth. The sword to strive for the final blow was already in his hands when a bloodcurdling scream reached his ears. Reflexively, he turned his view in its direction and additionally loosened his grasp. A mistake. The creature exploited his loss of concentration in order to shake him off.

The dusk that had entered his mouth tasted disgusting. When he spited it out and got on his feet again, the boar was already too far away. However, he did not concern about it anymore. There was a more important matter. Someone must be in danger and there was no chance he would value a dinner more than a life. Though the scream had muted, he was certain from which direction it came and followed the rocky path until he reached a plateau.

What he saw there nearly robbed his breath. A giant, black scorpion, almost trice his seize. It was one if these renowned monsters, which the inhabitants of the forest called a Moldorach, which is said to live for centuries if not millennia and whose pincers could easily break the skull of a human. However, the source of the scream was a woman, who lay on the ground with her weapon, a bow, out of her range.

Even though she did not belong to them, he would not abandon her to her fate. That Moldorach was a string and cruel creature and for sure it saw her as its dinner. There was no doubt he had to interfere, no matter the danger.

He jumped outside his hide, rushing towards the creature as the only possibility he had was to distract the beast and get the attention to him. He felt how his heart pumped faster when the Moldorach turned his pincers towards him. The ones which protected its eyes in the inside. However, these might be the only weak spots as the rest was protected by heavy armor.

The Moldorach attacked him and tried to get his body between its pincers, but he could avoid it with timed rolls and only got scratched on his shoulder. At one point he had it where he wanted it when one of the beast’s eyes was in front of him, unprotected. Though he loathed it to impact this pain to anyone, human or beast, he did not restrain himself and impaled his sword in it.

When the scorpion was still moaning in its misery, he ran towards the woman and lowered down as he asked, “Can you walk? It won’t be long until it recovers.”

He could see that she tried to answer but she lost her consciousness. His attempts to get her back to senses were fruitless. He clinched with his teeth. This was bad, really bad. He had to carry her all the way back to the village, which would slow him down drastically. He was certain that an angry one, a very angry one, would never let him just go away.

As he stood up he sighed hearable, holding the sword determined in his hand when the Moldorach, engulfed in rage, rushed towards him. Now it would be manifested if his training was enough to protect other people and if his courage was as great as the people gave him credit for.  
However, it was certain that at least one of them would have a nice dinner this evening.

* * *

Since his fight, two days have passed by and the moon has already climbed up in the sky. Besides a few minor wounds, the other thing he had to endure, due to his disregard of the danger, was a scold by the elderly of the village. They did not let out one tiny detail to tell him that he could be dead by now. It would have went on for hours or, as he thought, even days if it was not for their patriarch, who told them to stop and acknowledge his courageous behavior. In the end, it brought them the meat of a Moldorach and additionally preserved the life of a woman.

The village he was born into was a small community that lived inside the forest for an eternity and no one of them had ever left it. Sometimes he wished that he could leave the green wood and see the outer world. He was not afraid of it but they were and they doomed everything as too dangerous.

The only one, who encouraged his behavior, was the patriarch, who they called, out of respect by their tradition, Old Man. He was furthermore the only one that carried knowledge of the outside world and he loved to listen to his tales. One day, he wanted to tell his own about his adventures.

However, by now he was keener to find a cup of water when he had woken up with a dry throat. Still overtired, he stumbled across the room before his feet met a pair of shoes. Even though he tried to get his balance back, he only achieved it when he landed on the bed where the stranger rested.

 “Sorry,” he stumbled when the blood streamed into his head. He felt embarrassed but at least, when he got up again, he was wide awake.  
It happened quite frequent to him as it was normally his roommate’s bed but to his relief, this time, he earned not even a small complaint. She must be still unconscious from the attacks.

However, when he walked a few steps, another thing made him puzzled. When he fell on her, it did not felt like there was anybody under the quilt. He hesitated a second as he felt a little ashamed but in the end, he was too curious. At first, he only lifted the quilt a little but when he saw no one, he removed it entirely.

She was gone. No matter how long he starred at the bed, it remained empty. He watched for her across the house but the only thing he discovered was a missing lamp. Afterwards he looked for her in the village but she was not there either. It could only mean one thing but he refused to believe. She could not be that crazy and entered the forest, alone. Especially in her condition.

However, since there was no chance he would find sleep again, knowing that she wandered around there alone, he grabbed his sword and a lamp to search for her.

It was odd. He did not even know her but nonetheless, he could not reconcile it with his consciousness to know that she found her death in the woods. He only hoped she had no come far and that he was heading into the right direction.

He ran between the trees when he finally saw another light and once he was barely a meter away from her, he yelled, “I found you.”

It was not his intention to scare her but when she turned around, he saw the fear in her eyes. She pressed her arms against her chest, before her body slightly relaxed again and she sighed in relief, “It’s you. I was afraid you were one of Gan…,” she stopped and before he was able to ask her anything, she added, “Never mind. Thank you very much for your rescue. I really appreciate the treatment you all offered me, but I have no time. I have to go and find him. Please, excuse me.”

Without further explanation, she turned around, started to run and left him behind in bafflement. Thousands of questions, regarding her behavior, roamed around in his head. He was uncertain if he should follow her, but he was impressed by her determination to search for someone in her condition and in the dark hours.

But it would not be him if he let her go. Due to his training, he could soon catch up. He reached out his hand to grab her arm and when she turned around, the annoyance was visible in her face. He did not let him disturb by it and said straight forward, “I’m sorry. Even though I might not be the best one to say this, it’s dangerous what you’re doing. It’s more likely you will find death now, rather than the one you’re searching for.”

“You do not understand. I have to find him before he does. It is my most important duty,” she responded while she tried to shake him off.

“I can help you. I know these place better than you do. Who is the one you’re searching and who’s the other searching for him as well but not allowed to find him?”  
Maybe it was a little too direct to ask in such a fashion but he never preferred to use many words and come straight to the point. If he was able to help, he would never refrain to do so, no matter if he gained anything from it or not.

However, it was than when the mark on his left hand began to glow again. It first appeared when he was around ten years old, but due to the conservative living style of the villager’s, it only brought problems and he despised it. She must be terrified by it as well, like all the others. Immediately he let go of her and tried to hide his hand against his back.

“It’s only a little spell my friend likes to cast on me. It’s nothing great,” he explained but he could not hide the shaking in his voice.

To his surprise, she was not afraid. It was the opposite even though it took her quite some time before she had found her words back. “Would you… Would you mind to tell me your name, please?”

“My name?” he stumbled but he did not see a need to make a secret out of it. “That one is Link.”

“Link? That sounds familiar,” she responded when she bowed down before him. “I apologize for my disrespectful behavior. If I had known that you were indeed the one I am searching for, I would have never reacted in this rough manner. I truly apologize.”

“That’s totally fine, really. You don’t have to be that formal,” he stumbled as he was not used that someone was this polite to him. “But why you have searched for me?”

“That is because you are the only salvation for my kingdom. My name is Zelda, the former princess of Hyrule and I was told the one, carrying the hope for my country, has the blessed mark on his hand. The mark you have. There is no doubt.” She held up her right hand and he was almost speechless when he saw the sign. It looked just like his own.

Never had he ever dreamed that anyone else had this mark, nor that he would ever meet a princess. Old Man had told him about the royal family of Hyrule, who guided a great part of the outer world and that the princess was a high status amongst them.  
But this was unbelievable. Why would such a member roam around in the stony desert?

“Link, I am aware that you have many questions and what I will tell you might sound incredible, but I nevertheless appeal that you listen to me to the end,” she said pledging. “You are the hero, one I have searched for seven years, who is destined to end the suffering of my people, which was brought to them by an evil overlord.”

* * *

The small room was only enlightened by candles and he took a chair to sit down in front of Old Man. After Zelda had revealed the whole reasons for her appearance, he rushed back with her to the village to see its patriarch. He preferred to speak with him alone with her waiting outside and rudely awakened him.

He was clueless what he should do. Should he stay here, living his life or should he go with her? Her story was so incredible and it was likely it was all a lie, yet, although he could not explain it, he had no doubts about it. Deep inside him, there was a feeling that told him that she spoke the truth.

The truth that she was hiding seven years in which she had not seen her own kingdom. All in order to escape from the dark lord’s claws which intended to eliminate every single survivor of the royal family. The one known as Ganondorf. One that drowned a whole country in misery and despair, spreading death all over its landscapes, establishing a reign of terror with him as the undisputed ruler.  
However, it was told in an old legend that a hero would arise and put an end to the evil deeds of him, bringing the light and peace back to the kingdom.

“I see. It seems like the time has come,” answered Old Man calmly when he finished to tell Zelda’s story. “The time that you will leave the forest. I knew this day would come since the mark appeared on your hand. The one that shares a deep connection with the history of Hyrule. Knowing you, I can assume that you are indeed determined to set on the adventure in order to defeat Ganondorf?”

His view wandered to the ground. It was almost frightening how well Old Man understood him and saw the decision he made without ever saying it. Since he had retold everything again, his determination to follow Zelda had long since surpassed his remaining disbeliefs.

“Thank you. I know what I will do now,” he answered as he stood up and intended to leave.

However, Old Man hold him back and asked him a question that made him struggle, “Link, have you ever thought about the other side? You have to take this one in consideration as well, otherwise it can hit you like a deathblow in an unprepared situation.”

In disbelief he turned around again and listened to him. “Think of it. What is if Ganondorf is not the evil one of both of them? What is if the actual royal family ruled with an iron fist and he is the one who freed Hyrule from them?”

He was silent. He was so passionate about her version that he never thought one moment about this. Not for one moment he thought that she could be indeed twist the story for her own benefit. It was true that he neither knew her nor him, nor their motivation and their history.

However, no matter how much time he let passing by, there was no satisfying answer. Therefore he decided to ask Old Man directly, “Do you think it is possible that she might be the evil one and not Ganondorf?”

“Link, I only told you to consider this possibility, no matter how unlikely it seems to be. In the end, no one knows the truth before someone discovered it. However, it can be changed, twisted and become only a reflection a person offers to others. Sometimes we even come to a point where we have not one but many truths and everyone chooses his own he defends until the end,” responded the Old Man in a calm way.

“Therefore, I can only recommend getting to know them both and the ones around them before you judge between evil and good. Base your conclusion on your experience, not your prejudice. Never forget, an enemy can be another’s hero but you have to choose on which side you will stand and fight. The world outside is not only black and white unlike our village, it has far more diversity. Even to a point where the best for them is the worst in your perspective. You have to accept this and not to try to force your opinion on them unless you desire to suppress them.”

Old Man’s words always left a deep impression on him and this time was no exception. He showed him sides he would never think of and he was right. He never experienced the world outside the woods and only knew what Old Man had told him. Even though he still tended to follow Zelda nonetheless, it might be better to sleep one night over it and get a clear mind.

As he intended to leave, Old Man held him back one last time, “Link, it will be the best to set off before the sunrise. The farewell will only hurt you and will make you blind for the decision your heart desires.”

His view was piercing. It felt like he had seen into him, digging out the decision his heart already made and only his mind denied accepting. Old Man knew him. Old Man knew him better than he knew himself.

The idea to just sneak away might not be very appealing but he probably could not bear it to tell his loved ones that he would go and did not know when or if he returned. He was certain that once he would see their tears and their solicitation to stay, he would only listen to what they say.

He could not hold back the smile when he responded gratefully, “Thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

* * *

The sun already rose up in the sky when he crossed the landscapes of Hyrule. He had already witnessed its beauty from the distance but it was the first time he actually felt the fresh wind blowing through his hair itself. There was this feeling of freedom and adventure in the air. It was just wonderful.

“Well, Zelda. Since you’re a lot more familiar with this kingdom, where should we head for?” he gave his horse Epona a sign to stop. She accompanied him since his childhood and grew up together with him. In the end, he would call her his best friend even though they might belong to different species.

However, Zelda did not react to his question. Lost in her thoughts, her view wandered across the field.   
“What has happened to these landscapes?” she mumbled more towards herself but his ears where good enough to hear her nonetheless. It questioned him what actually bothered her and he never was someone who held his curiosity back.

Zelda kind of looked shocked at him. She had not recognized that he talked to her and stumbled, “It is… they look entirely different than the last time I have seen them. Like Ganondorf’s invasion never happened. I do not understand why they recovered.” The wondering expression vanished. “Well, never mind. There was a small village quite near. I do not know if it was destroyed by his ruthless attacks, but we should try it.”

It did not take a long time until he could see a few roofs in the distance. The village seemed to be in a good condition but when he and Zelda descended from Epona, he witnessed a quarrel between one of the inhabitants with a Lizalfos and a Bokoblin. Furthermore, the last one seemed to be quite upset, according to his body language and voice’s volume. When he approached closer to them, he was able to follow their conversation.

“What’s that? Are you mocking us? You get only old, stinky cheese with that amount of rupees. I can tell you, my friend over here loathes old cheese,” stated the Bokoblin furious when he held up a small bag.

“Yeah, old cheezze, it stinkzz! I loathe it!” repeated the Lizalfos. “Find another moron that eatzz that shit!”

“But I can’t give you more rupees by now,” explained the man desperately. “We need the rest to nourish ourselves. Can’t you bend an eye, only this time?”

“Listen. If you don’t want trouble, give us what we want in the amount we want,” the Bokoblin answered cold-hearted and pushed the man away, hard enough that he fell on the ground. “We aren’t a social service.”

He had seen enough. This Bokoblin went way overboard. He could not stand it, by all means, if someone demanded a thing from another one that he obviously could not effort. Even worse, became violent if he did not get it.

“Haven’t you heard what the man said?” he interfered one he was only about two meters away from the two monsters. “He gave you everything he had and you still demand more?”

The Bokoblin let go of the villager and turned his view into his direction. He recognized how the monster scrutinized him and had only disdainfulness in his eyes. Then he answered dismissively, “No one asked for your opinion, green dwarf. Hurry back to your mummy, before you get hurt and begin to cry. My friend over here loathes impudent rascals as well.”

“I think I’ve expressed myself good enough. Stop bothering this man and give the rupees back to him,” he responded in a firm way. The monster did not impress him. The forest and its surroundings were full of them and he was trained in combat since young age.

Without further warning, the Lizalfos made a jump and intended to knock him down on the ground. However, his reflexes were fast and he avoided his reckless attack. For the Lizalfos’ chagrin, he did not expect this reaction and stumbled, while he was able to draw his sword. With a skillful strike, he sent the monster to the ground and before this one could stand again, he pointing the sword on his throat.

“I will say it again now. Stop bothering this man, give the rupees back and then leave!” His voice was clearly and forcefully when he starred resolute at the Bokoblin.

Furious the one looked at him before he handed the bag over. Afterwards, he responded, “This will have consequences for you. Lord Ganondorf will not be amused to hear from this behavior. Trust me, his disgrace is far worse than old cheese.” Then he ran off.

The Lizalfos looked still scared at him but he had no interest in hurting or even killing him. However, he lowered his swords and indicated that he could leave now as well. Without any hesitation, he stood up and followed his companion, screaming that he should wait for him.

It was interesting to hear that these monsters belonged to Ganondorf. Seems like he suppressed the villagers and demanded fee above their income.  
However, before he was able to further think about it, he was rashly addressed by the man, “What were you thinking? Have you lost your mind?”

This reaction only caused bafflement for him. Confused he looked at the man. He could not understand why he was that kind of upset that he protected him and demanded nothing in return.

“Excuse me, but I do not think that this is an appropriate behavior to thank somebody,” intruded Zelda in a calm, yet forceful, manner.

The man did not seem like he wanted to take his accusation back when he responded, even more furious, “You two fools don’t understand anything. These soldiers are a part of a group that protects our town from monsters and other thievish riff-raffs. In exchange, we pay them and furthermore provide them food and other ingredients they need.”

“You call this an exchange?” He had found his words again and could not hold back his incomprehension. “They exploit you if they demand more for their work than you have. Why would you do that?”

“You two, get you gone. I don’t care who you are but you threaten our village. I truly wish we could send you to our sovereign to apologize for your barbarous manners but you probably make it even worse.” He took a deep breath before he concluded, “Just let me tell you one last thing. Our life was good enough before you two came here and it will be good again if you finally leave. You brought enough harm upon us. Never come back.”

The man left the both but his rage was visible in every step he made. Never had he seen anybody becoming that mad due to his actions, not even the elderly acted like this. However, this time he was even scolded because he, in his opinion, helped the man. It was just weird. Entirely and plain weird.

Questioning he looked at Zelda in the hope that she was able to explain his behavior but she only responded, “I am sorry, Link, but I have no clue why he reacted like this. Maybe they have already subordinated themselves that much to Ganondorf that they try everything to please him. Well, it might be the best if we head for another location. I do not think that the others will welcome us more than he did.”


	4. The Hero – Different World Encounter

Barely a day had passed by since the unpleasant encounter with the two monsters and the villager. The sun already shined bright from the sky again when he, for the first time in his life, walked on a paved street, surrounded by houses, some of them even higher than trees. Some buildings had an architecture that was breathtaking and it was hard to believe that humans should be the one who created them. It was fascinating and sometimes he forgot everything around him.

On the other side, Zelda seemed not even half as pleased as he was. He could imagine that it was because the city was not, at all, like she described it before. A rundown village, clustered with ruins in which life was almost impossible. A place like hell.

She explained him before that this town, Kakariko, once had a strong connection to the resistance, an union that was formed by many different races of Hyrule to fight against Ganondorf. It was the only hope that people had back then, to be spared of the brutal tyranny of a madman but exactly this one ultimately destroyed it. Since Zelda pretended to know him very well, she was certain that he would never reprieve the village or its inhabitants who supported his arch nemesis.

However, the buildings were in an outstanding shape, the same he could say about the life of the town. The streets were highly frequented, not only by human races but others as well. The atmosphere was cheerful, the air was filled with the blathering of the townsmen and the joyful shouting of the children.

The only thing that truly bothered him were those monsters. It was hard to restrain his fingers from gripping his sword and remove them from the streets. But the reason was not their appearance. He always respected any kind of living being but only as long as they had respect as well. These ones, they had none in regard to the rough behavior towards the normal citizen when they jostled them or spoke up to them as if they were an inferior species.

At first he believed that the people might lack the courage to approach it, out of fear due to the consequences these actions might provoke. But the more he observed their reactions, the more it seemed like they were not bothered by it at all. Like they have learnt to deal with it and just kept on going with their life.  
It was the sole reason while he decided to remain silent about the issue, at least for now.

He almost did not hear Zelda when they had crossed some streets and he marveled at the cathedral.  
“Link, may I ask you something? I wonder about it since we entered the town but why do you left your horse alone outside of the city?”

“Her name is Epona,” he answered absent while his view was still attached to the magnificent building. It must have been taken a long time to build it. However, if she was right and Kakariko did get destroyed by the invasion of Ganondorf seven years ago, then there might be many helping hands to create it in such a short span of time.  
“Ehm… what was your question again?”

Zelda repeated it though he could not understand why she was surprised about it. “Why shouldn’t I do it? Is there anything wrong with it?”

“You are not afraid that she might run off? Hyrule Field is wide, you must have seen it. In order to cross it you need days if not weeks. It is almost impossible to meet her again,” explained Zelda her worries.

He could only put that off and showed it to her with a wave of his hand. That one was no problem at all.   
“She can go wherever she wants and whenever she wants. But I can call her back with a melody on an ocarina that on old childhood friend gave me. This one can even be heard over mountains,” he answered unperturbed. “But if she doesn’t react towards it and prefers to stay away, then I have to accept this. Our friendship is a privilege, not an obligation, and I don’t force her or anybody else to stay by my side.”

He gave Zelda a little smile but before she had a chance to answer, a scream of a woman echoed through the streets, “Hold this thief!”

He turned around to locate the person like some other citizens did as well. He discovered her in some distance and barely saw a small monster that disappeared into the crowd of people.

“Stay here! I come back later,” he commanded Zelda and rushed off, even though he felt a little ashamed afterwards. It was not the right way to behave in the present of a royalty but he could apologize for this one later.

However, the next problem confronted him soon. The place was far too populated to follow the thief accordantly. Even though he was agile and could navigate through the people fast, he lost sight of him. He was not successful either when he searched his way in the direction he believed the monster had run. But even if he would get sight of him again, there was no chance he could catch him.

There was almost nothing more he loathed than somebody was able to get away with the harm he did to others. It was his sense of justice that felt insulted. But even though it was without any doubts annoying to give in, he could not help it.

On the other side, moaning about it would not make it better either. Therefore he intended to reunite with Zelda again but he was stopped once he noticed a crowd of people on his way back. They whispered curiously and he only understood fragments of it. However, these were enough that he had to get a view on the spectacle itself as he could not believe his own ears.

Once he had found his way through the crowd, he witnessed how a Dinolfos hold down a Starchild with a sword under its skull. However, he recognized the small one very well and he almost denied trusting his eyes.

“How stupid you must be to rob in my town. I should cut you into pieces and feed your bones to a Wolfos for your idiocy,” hissed the Dinolfos menacing.

The Starchild looked scared at the threatening attacker but there was also another component visible on both their body language. Something mischievous.

“Speechless, heh, you little lowlife? Now, lay the bag of rupees to your side and better move your ass out if my sight.” The Dinolfos lowered his voice before he added, “Otherwise I’m the last one you’ve seen in your pathetic life.”

Wordless the Stalchild followed his orders before the Dinolfos moved his sword slightly to the side, giving him a sign he should leave, fast. Under load cheering of the bystanders, the small monster ran away while the Dinolfos bended down in order to grab the bag. His gaze wandered around the crowd before he asked, “Who’s the owner?”

“It’s me,” answered a woman quietly and stepped out of the mass.

“Then take it back and watch out better the next time,” responded the monster and threw the back to the woman. “I have to go then, other duties are calling.”

“Thank you very much, Mr. Garo. It was my whole monthly income, I wouldn’t have known what do if I had lost it.” The woman almost broke out in tears while the whole crowd cheered like Garo was a hero to the town.

The people separated to let the Dinolfos pass, who was still praised by them for his effort. However, he could not believe that they all turned a blind eye on it or have not noticed it at all. Even though he did not want to interfere, he would not let this self-proclaimed savior get away with it. He stayed when Garo was right before him.

The surprise was visible in his face but he did not give him a chance to complain as he already demanded, “Give it back to her.”

“What are you talking about?” said Garo harsh while his face got darkened. “Do you want trouble?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he responded without paying attention to his menace. “You took the worthy rupee out and kept it to yourself when you lifted the bag. Not to say that you fooled the inhabitants even before this.”

“What are you talking about? You should watch your mouth,” groaned Garo and boasted his body.

“I’m just telling you what you already know. You and this Stalchild work together,” he answered straight-faced. It was impossible that anybody could have caught him since he was small and fast, especially not by someone who was this bulky. Their body language gave him the last evidence for his accusation.

“You little pest!” The patience of Garo had reached his end. “You pay for this insolence, you worthless riff-raff. Your head is a nice accessory for my home.”

Eye on eye he stood in front of his enemy and only one second later he felt the draft of a sword that was cutting the air. Even one second later, the steel would not have clashed with his own blade but could have cut into his skull. However, he was not sure if Garo really aimed to kill him or just wanted to threaten him as his attack lacked the weight of a deathblow.

Nevertheless, even though the Dinolfos showed for a brief moment a sign of insecurity as if he did not expected any resistance, he shortly afterwards continued with a salve of attacks. He dodged the first ones, trying to get an open spot but he soon had to admit that Garo possessed far more skills than the Lizalfos he encountered before. Therefore he changed his pattern and started to block the attack in order to wait for a perfect moment to counter.

Then he made this one mistake. His sword only touched Garo’ blade and it slipped off, letting the Dinolfos get the chance to inflect a bleedings wound on his upper arm. Though he was shortly paralyzed by the pain, he could see that the monster would remorseless attack him again. Garo might have not wanted to harm him before, but that had changed. He was serious now. The only chance he had to avoid his attack and further wounds was to get out of his reach.

When Garo swung his sword again, he made a back flip, and the attack came to nothing and made him stumble. He could feel that the inhabitants, who still gawked at the fight, made some steps backwards, some even released a scream. It was only then when he noticed the fear in their eyes but there was something else as well. Was it… anger?

He had no time to further think about it as the fight was not over now. However, his short hesitation almost granted him a cut through the lower body. Garo was not kidding at all.

He saw one possibility to get the Dinolfos on the ground without much bloodshed and without hurting the people around. When Garo tried to slice him again, he let the monster pushing him backwards but only for a few strikes before he ducked down. He heard the sword buzzing over his head and he could pledge that some hairs lost their owner.

He used again the slight loss of balance of Garo to get sideways behind him with a timed roll. He still used the confusion of the monster, who turned around too late, and swung his sword that ate through his armor. He inflicted a serious wound on the back of the Dinolfos but the impact was much greater than he intended it to be. It felt like the sword itself powered up with some substance it wielded inside as if it was reacting to something the Dinolfos had or represented.

Garo’s sword clashed on the ground in some distance to him as he dropped on his knees, trying to stand up again but failed. He steadied himself with his claws before him when he whispered exhausted, “How… this… is impossible… What’s that… for a power?”

Though he felt some pity for him, there was no denying that he actually tried to kill him before and betrayed a woman. He stepped up to Garo and pointed his blade against his head while he put one foot on his sword to prevent a comeback of him.   
“Now lay the rupee to your side.” he commanded, not losing his gaze on the monster. Reluctantly and under painful effort, Garo followed his orders and laid down a silver rupee.   
“Now get lost.”

He waited a little until Garo had braces himself enough to stand up again though he still protected the blade.   
“I swear to you, you will regret this day!” moaned Garo with a piercing view. Then he turned his back to him. Still stooping, he hobbled away and jostled the inhabitants that stood in his way.

After he sheathed his sword again, he picked up the rupee and walked over to the woman. She looked in astonishment at him before she lowered her head to the ground when he handed her over the money.   
“It was yours,” he stated when the woman neither said a word nor made any other gesture.

She took it. Then, after some seconds passed by she whispered almost inaudible, “You shouldn’t have done this.”  
Without further explanation she turned around, leaving him behind in confusion.

He was speechless. There were no thoughts roaming around his head at the moment. Never in a life have mere words hurt him that much. Never. He remained speechless.

Though she was betrayed before and almost lost a lot of her monthly income, the only thing she had to offer him was blame. This was wrong. This people, they were just strange. They were so different from the ones he knew and loved back at the forest.  
It was not that he expected a reward or anything but this reaction was incomprehensible. He even began to question and to doubt his own intentions, something that never came to his mind before.

Due to his paralysation, he noticed too late that two individuals were approaching to him from behind. He only found back from it once they grabbed his arms tightly. At the first glance he thought it were companions of Garo, who had sent them out for revenge, but to his astonishment it were huge humans.

Before he could ask what their behavior meant, one of them already said bugged, “What was that, troublemaker?”

It need some time before he found his voice back and responded irritated, “I’ve only brought this lady her money back. Is that troublemaking to you?” He could not believe that these men were serious.

“No, that’s not. But putting on a fight against one of our town protectors is,” was the harsh respond he earned. “And we don’t need troublemakers here.”

There was no chance he could escape out of the grasp of the two, they were too strong. He was agile and skilled but when it came down to only rare power, he was almost helpless.   
He got himself into trouble, this was for sure. All the struggling did not help him to get free again, neither did they listen to his complaints.

As far as it was possible, he tried to get a look at the other people, seeing if they would help him to clarify the situation, but they all avoided meeting his eyes. Some even moved their heads closer together and whispered. Though he could not understand their conversation, in regard to their expression and tone of voice, it were not nice words they lost about him.

He was not able to get into the mind of these people. It would have been ridiculous if it was not that serious. A monster working together with a thief was everything but a protector. Even though they all knew it, none of them intervened or even cared. It was like they did not bother at all about it and just took it as given without a will to change it. As if they have accepted their life this way.

It was the first time when Link remembered back the words of Old Man. That he would encounter people that might not reflect his own ideals but have their own. Ones that he would consider the worst but were the best for them. Maybe this was exactly what he was referring to.


	5. The Hero – Seeking for the Truth

It was unbelievable that he ended in such an eerie environment. He never believed that this would happen someday. Neither did he ever felt disgusted in such a degree only by the smell of the air, one that had a touch of rotten flesh in it. The thick walls of cold stone with their lack of connections to the outside made it stand still and only the passing time made him ignorant to the nasty smell.  
The situation was uncomfortable but more important, it felt wrong. Entirely wrong.

The two men already implied that the punishment for his supposed crime would not be the harmless reproof he was used to by his village elderly when they told him, “You remain here until our judge returns tomorrow. He will decide what will happen to you. But I can tell you even by now, you’ve brought yourself in big trouble with the shit you’ve done.”

A small torch flickered in the distance, which enlightened the corridor and offered a view of the rundown room in which he was kept detained. He must get out of here, somehow. Unfortunate, they were not careless and took away anything of his equipment and also removed the protective parts of his clothing. The things he got left in the cell, a pile of tissues, a pot and chains that were solid attached to the stones, were of no use.

Hopeless he leant against the wall and starred at the bars next to him. Old and rusty ones but despite their fragile look, they had no weak spot. He earlier on tried to break them by smashing his entire weight against them but they did not concede. The only things he earned were a sharp pain in his shoulder and a distant laughter of the two guards, who resides in the next room, when they heard his failed attempt.

Even though he tried to push it back, the feeling of regret to leave the forest crawled into his mind and it had no intention to leave anytime soon. He had imagined his adventure entirely different, as well as the inhabitants or the kingdom of Hyrule in general, when he had heard Zelda’s story for the first time. Furthermore, in the regard of the tales Old Man told him, he believed they had a similar sense of justice and understanding of crimes like he had. But now he felt how his former confidence crumbled and made place for doubts about the whole motivation and the purpose of his journey.  
What was the truth in all of this?

Lost in his own thoughts, he heard the blathering of the two men. However, at one point it immediately got him out of his absent condition once their conversation changed to his actions. To better hear their talk, he moved closer to the bars and pricked up his ears.

 “You know, not sure if I should call it a shame. But under our former leadership he would’ve probably been praised as the hero. You know, courageous, sense of justice and this other old virtues of which we don’t see much these days,” said one man melancholically.

He could hear the squeaky sound of a chair like the person on it leaned back before the other guard moaned in a lot harsher voice, “Do you ever stop living in the past? Ganondorf is the new dude, deal with it or not.”  
The guard made a short pause before he continued in a much darker tone, “But honestly, you better do. You really don’t want to mess around with this one. He’s absolutely merciless if you rub him the wrong way and you do so if you mock his emissaries. Only morons who rot in the past come up with such shit. These ones are a threat for everyone and their mother. We’re far better off without these self-proclaimed kingdom-saviors who ruin more than they help.”

“Goddess, I know, you don’t have to remind me on this one,” answered the other man and his annoyance was accompanied by a load sound as if he crashed his fist on the table. “You know it; I once witnessed his powers some years ago when he visited this town. Some sympathizer from the former resistance lost his brain and wanted to pick up a fight after he foolishly insulted him.”  
The man lowered his voice and he could barely understand the following statement. “One single magic-stuff thing of him and this fool was history. Nothing but mere dust remained that the wind erased. No chance to give him a proper burial. Tell you. This was enough to know, I never want his wrath on me.”

He felt a short stabbing pain in his chest when he imagined he could meet the same fate. It was for sure now that Ganondorf was no benefactor and it matches Zelda’s portrayal that he possesses strong magical powers combined with a short temper when someone scratched his pride. Surely not a pleasant coeval.

However, he realized in the same instant that this was the first time he heard the inhabitants of Hyrule speak about their new king. Until now, he was only familiar with her version of him. He pressed himself more against the bars to eavesdrop further their conversation and to use the chance to get to know their opinion.

“Hell yes, a scary dude, isn’t he?” The guardian broke out in laughter and it took him some time before he calmed down and was able to speak again. “But at least these persistent quarrellings are gone now. Remember all those riff-raffs that roamed our streets before and especially while the Great Hyrulian War? That sucked. Can’t say these monsters aren’t a nuisance sometimes but they are good at getting these pests out of town. Not to mention that the Gerudo finally quitted raiding this kingdom once their leader became the king of this country. That was a salvation, maybe one of the greatest in all history,” he summarized satisfied.

“How true, how true. It’s quite peaceful since the war ended, thanks to the tribes that agreed to the peace treaty. Though there was a long time the rumor that Ganondorf was not sincere with his intentions.”  
He made a short pause before he added deigning, “I personally believed it would go straight downhill to hell with our kingdom with this desert rat in charge of it.”

“Well, this one. Almost everyone believed it. I mean, come on, it was not said for nothing that only a dead Gerudo is a good Gerudo,” responded the guard and again he brought out in laughter.  
He could hear the annoyed groan of the other man, before the guard added smugly, “In the end, they had the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. Either trust a former infamous bandit or get annihilated by exactly that one. Nice possibilities, but no matter what, only a brain-dead one would’ve chosen the later.”

“Yeah, can’t agree more. But despite all doubts, he kept the promises he made of rebuilding the kingdom and he’s still on it. One has to give him credit for this. I mean, the situation could be better but could be much, much worse. I think, once the scars of the war are vanished, we will…”

The man never finished his sentence but instead he could hear a dumb sound as if something heavy had fallen to the ground. Shortly after he heard the soft voice of a woman, “Excuse me, but I am afraid this is a miscarriage of justice.”

At first he believed it was already the next day and the judge had returned because he had lost his sense of time, but the voice sounded too familiar. He must know her. Only shortly after a person engulfed in a frock stood before the bars. With a clicking sound the lock opened and the lattice gate burst open.

He had no time to further think either about the conversation or the mysterious person as this one already explained, “Excuse me, Link, that I took a long time to free you. But I first had to get to know you were the one involved in the thievery and where they took you. I can only ask for your forgiveness in regard to the harsh behavior of my people. I still have no clue why the react this way though I believe that Ganondorf is plotting something truly mischievous.”  
She handed him over another frock. “You should take it on. It will make our escape out of this town easier. The rest will be done by the moonless night.”

Absent he grabbed the piece of clothing in her hand and put it on. He was still unable to respond. That Zelda stood in front of him entirely took him by surprise.

“Please hurry, Link. The sleeping spell I casted on the guardians will not affect them for a much longer time.”  
Zelda must have notice his absent as he grabbed for his arm and pulled him out of the cell, back to the room with the two men. He shortly looked at them, snorting on the floor, before his view fell on the desk that stood in the corner.

All of them laid atop of it. His equipment, the protective part of his clothing and more important, his sword. The one a friend handed down and which was of an outstanding value for him. On his last day, he told him that it also possesses magic within, which it would release once it found its true master. He would have never forgiven himself if he had lost this one.

After he took all of his stuff back, he returned to the outside of the rundown building and finally fresh air filled his lungs again. Never had he appreciated it that much. However, there was not much time to enjoy it since he had to get out of the town in which he was now renowned as a criminal.

Like Zelda mentioned before, it was already night and it was new moon. The streets were almost empty and the only sounds hearable where his and her own footsteps on the paved ground. He did not speak a word with her to avoid unnecessary attention and if he was to encounter one of the monsters, he turned off with her into the next back alley until it was out of side.

However, the cool breeze of the night refreshed his mind. His thoughts of the conversation, as well as the ones about Zelda and Ganondorf, roamed around in his head.  
He still had trust in her words about him being the evil one who doomed a whole kingdom. The monsters that were under his command were a living evidence for it with their disrespectful behavior towards the people and the crimes they committed. Hearing that he had an affiliation towards murder if one approach him the wrong way or disrespect his demands, additionally emphasized his bad nature. Not to mention the cruelties and slaughters which were done by him and in his name in the raging war.

But it was only one side of the medal, there was still the other and that was what made it really hard to find the truth. Despite all, none of the people he met seemed to be bothered or in despair about their situation. They lived cheerful their daily life and there was no fear he felt when he was around them and the monsters. They lacked the hate or at least the determination to actually change it. He heard the two men talking that they are quite satisfied with the current situation and see that it developed in the right direction. Furthermore, there was no denying that the towns he had seen were in good conditions and the monsters seemed to be the one who helped to rebuild them.

There was this never ending struggle inside him. On the one side, this man seemed to be a merciless tyrant, exploiting the people by commanding his monsters but on the other side, the people showed no aversion at all. They had no intention in opposing him, quite the difference; they loathed the ones who tried this as they believe these ones destroy their peace. These people, they liked this life though he could not agree less with it.

But he had to keep in mind that he was still from another society and that he might see the world entirely different than they do. In the end, he was the one who was blamed to cause trouble and be an outlaw though he still believed it was the right way.  
However, it was still too early make a final decision on which side he would stand.

When he was outside of the town, he took out the ocarina and played the beloved melody of Epona. He could see Zelda’s surprise once she heard the whicker of the horse that galloped towards them. After he mounted Epona and helped Zelda to get on her as well, he said slightly heavy-hearted, “Zelda, there is something I want to ask you.”

“What is it?” she responded curious.

“It’s…,” he started but dropped his idea a second after it. “Never mind. Let’s continue our journey.”

He thought about telling Zelda about the conversation and the things he heard about Ganondorf that awoke inner struggles but he decided against it. In the end, she was biased as well and even though he favored her over him, he did not want to blur his own opinion. Maybe, only maybe, Old Man was right when he proposed the question that the position of the two royalties was switched to match her truth. However, he still disposed this thought.

* * *

In silence he sat at the bar, gazing lost in thoughts at the wooden material in front of him. The poor lightened surrounding was quite hot due to the high amount of humans, as well as non-humans, who sat around the outdated tables. They were blathering, one loader than the other, and even if he wanted to focus on one particular conversation, it was almost impossible because of the general sound level.

This was another reason why he dealt with himself, recalling the past month. Thinking about it, it was unbelievable that this amount of time had passed by since he left the forest. It felt like it were barely a few days.

Most likely this was due to the similar events that occurred over and over again, even though he had seen many different places and races. At first he still intervened when the situation between the inhabitants and the monster got obnoxious again. But soon he reached the point when he restrained from interrupting as the victim never was pleased. Only once he got the little “Thank you” from a girl but even then he was not sure if she was serious about what she said because her expression told another story.

However, one thing was certain. It could not go on the way it did by now. His inner struggling was still the same as one month before. Something had to happen and he had an idea about what it would be. Maybe it was not the wisest or most harmless plan but everything else was just to beat about the bush. If he did not risk it, he would never make even one step forward and always step around in the dark.

The smashing sound of the barkeeper put him out of his daydreaming. “Your order, sir.”  
He nodded towards the man and gave him a few of the rupees that Zelda handed him over before. He stood up to reunite with her and searched his way back through the crowd of people.  
If he was honest, the place did not please him a lot. It was too sticky and too many people in such a small room. He always preferred the wide outside but Zelda intended to visit this pub in order to come into closer contact with the people.

Soon after he reached the corner where she had a conversation with two men and an individual that he claimed to be a living rock. He was corrected by her that he belonged to the species of the Goron who were indeed a folk that lived in the heights of mountains.

However, even before he sat down next to her, Zelda sounded annoyed when she asked them, “How can you say he is something like good king? Have you forgotten all the blood he spilled? The one of the royal house, the army, the resistance, even civilians and innocent children?”

The tallest of them, carrying around a stubbly beard, leaned forward, rested his arms on the table and answered, “Lady, I don’t know who you are, but you should get the facts right before you come up with such drastic accusations. You’re aware it was war? A vicious and brutal war were everybody busted heads when he met someone who didn’t belong to his tribe?” He raised one of his arms before he let it hit the table. “What did you expect? That they would sit together with some tea in their hands, have a nice chitchat and vote who will rule the kingdom next?”

“I definitely would,” responded a small man whose blond hair covered his left side of the face. His entire appearance was a huge contrast, his voice sounded a lot softer and his facial features were not near as edged as the ones of the dark-haired man.

“Yeah, Muto. That’s because you’re an idiot who doesn’t even understand rhetorical questions,” he responded blunt and his cold expression showed that it was not meant as a joke.

“What was that? Say that again!”

The two continued their quarrel and since it did not seem like they would stop anytime soon, the Goron picked up the argument, “Aldar is right in what he says. When the war brought out, it was inevitable that either the Gerudo get eradicated or the dynasty of Hyrule would fall. I mean, you know it yourself. Both races loathed each other since eons and both are the superior warrior tribes compared to all the other ones. None of them would give in before they exhausted even the last bit of their resources.”

“That’s what I say,” intervened Aldar who shoved away Muto to keep him quiet. “They don’t make use of words, these ones use the things with the ‘s’ before it.” His expression changed in seconds from cold to furious. “And we lost against these cursed bandits. I still can’t believe it!” Vigorous he grabbed for the jar in front of it and emptied it at one gulp.

“You shouldn’t drink that much, you know you can’t handle it,” remarked Muto, though he sounded concerned without any sign of sarcasm. “And maybe you shouldn’t have become one of the higher members of the royal army either.”

“Shut up, you cursed idiot,” moaned Aldar though his voice had already become slightly droning.

He already expected that the two would start another quarrel but this time, Zelda interrupted them fast enough when she spoke up, “I know it was war and that it must end in bloodshed once these both races are involved. However, this argument is still not a rectification to continue after the war was solved. Ganondorf did not stop even after the war was official over when he had slaughtered the resistance. He still roamed across the country and spread his darkness over the kingdom. You cannot deny it.”

“Yes, these are exactly my words, exactly,” supported Aldar Zelda’s suggestion though his voice became tottering.

“Didn’t you support some minutes before that Ganon is quite decent in his position?” asked Muto incredulously. “You really shouldn’t have drunken the whole pot at once…”  
He placed his hand on his forehead before he sighed audible.

“Aldar, I think this topic is no good for you, especially once the alcohol has reached your mind. We both knew that if he had stopped directly and didn’t make his position clear, then the next guy desiring power would have tried to overthrow him,” the Goron answered calm, “The logical consequence would be a new bloodshed. Name me one person who’s right in his mind who wants this. It’s because he’s that strict and undisputed in his position that we’re not involved in the next war.”

“How comes that you’re on his side now, Dargono, you traitor? I always believed you Gorons belong to the ones that disposed the Gerudo the most,” asked Aldar suspiciously though he had problems to keep his head up. “Are you a Gerudo in disguise or what?”

“Aldar, you should watch your tongue, you’re getting offensive. And what you say doesn’t make sense either,” answered Dargono whose expression darkened. “And yes, you’re right, the Goron and the Gerudo had always problems with each other but it doesn’t mean we reject them when we both try to put aside our differences. Though it is hard for you to take that the Hylian are not the ones anymore that take the sovereign position of this kingdom, for us it’s the most important we can live without fear. Sure, it was strange at the beginning that of all things a Gerudo claimed this kingdom his own and we were all afraid that corruption and terror would dominate our kingdom. But he takes responsibility as the sovereign of Hyrule. Maybe not perfect but quite acceptable. On my journeys through the kingdom I haven’t come across one tribe or town that suffered from the new leadership in recent times…”

“You know what? You’re far too knowledgeable for a Goron,” interrupted Aldar Dargono and the annoyance was very well hearable. “And this topic gets on my nerves as well.”  
His verbal outburst was accompanied by a crashing sound when his jar touched the floor and burst into pieces. However, he seemed not to be interested and tended his view towards Zelda. “You were the one who brought it up, right? Then you know what? If you have a problem with this Gerudo, tell your complaints this bloody Ganondork and not me. I get me a new drink and when I return we have a different topic. I’m here for amusement and this doesn’t amuse me at all,” he demanded before he energetically stood up and stomped towards the bar even though he was weak-kneed.

“Don’t mind him. He was a proud Hylian warrior in his past days. That’s why he can get really aggressive at this topic when he had one too many. Don’t take it personal,” explained Dargono before he stood up. “I better look out for him before he involves himself in a brawl.”

Not much time passed until he and Zelda were back on the back of Epona. Zelda was unusual silent and he knew that she was still thinking about the conversation. It really must have gotten into her.  
In the end, it was not much easier for him. He was still insecure about the whole issue in regard to the relation of her and Ganondorf. However, it was definitely the time to make his idea he had before becoming reality.

He told Zelda that he wanted to visit the capital of Hyrule as he was certain that he would find there what he was searching for. Though he was not precious to her what it was.  
However, it was the only thing that seemed reasonable for him now to finally end this mystery. He had to meet him, this infamous Ganondorf, in person, no matter how dangerous he might be. But his fear would never hinder him to confront this man face to face nonetheless. It was not said for nothing that courage was his most loyal friend.


	6. The Dark Lord – Hiding the Truth

“That’s a naïve approach. No one with sense in his mind would do it this way.”

“And yours is better? I have serious doubts about it. Admit it; you haven’t even listened to yourself!”

“I don’t even understand why you two are here! The both of you only contribute nonsensical stuff since the beginning!”

He could not remember how long the blathering held on, it must be for hours. Neither could he remember the precise topic. Only barely his memory recalled it was about building a bridge to connect some distant provinces over a canyon. Or a river. Or whatever.

He sighed inside and gave up. It would never interest him enough to seriously involve him into the conversation since he knew he could not bring on his own plans. If it was him, he would just destroy both provinces to solve the problem and have his peace. He did not care for the people but even in regard to this, he could neither leave himself to this temptation. Not as long as he, his doom, still roamed the kingdom.

To get some distraction, he let his view wander around in the conference room he sat in. One follower was by his side and the other twelve people, who were emissaries of the involved towns, sat around a massive table, switching arguments.  
Over the years, it had not changed much. The dark walls still created an intimidating atmosphere he felt very comfortable with. They were decorated with different frescos that mostly portrayed demonic or beastly creatures. The light was spent by chandeliers hanging from the ceiling as well as torches that were attached to pillars. Maybe he should add some portrays to have something to gaze at when conferences became this gruesome again.

However, to his chagrin, they must have noticed that he did not participate in the discussion when one of them approached him personally, “Lord Ganondorf, what may be your opinion on the topic? You remain this quiet, my lord, that one might assume you aren’t satisfied with any of our proposals.”

“Well…,” he started in order to gain some time, pretending as if he truly thought about it. He must do something before they started talking again and he was for sure not in the mood to endure it anytime longer.  
Then he pointed random at one of the men. “You, what was your name again?”

“It’s Karo, my lord,” the man answered confused.

“Well then, it’s decided. We take Karo’s idea. We can start in a week with the scheduling,” he declared in a dominant way. They looked irritated at him. “I can be certain that none of you has any complains, am I right?” He made sure in his intonation that he would not allow any objections. “If it’s settled, you can go. Now!”

“As you please, my lord,” they answered short and bowed to him before they left the room.

Satisfied he leaned back, now that his ears were finally released. He should have gotten this idea earlier on. Definitely. Some men just were not made for sincerely diplomacy and he surely belonged to them.  
However, he soon was confronted with the next statement. “You’re kidding me, aren’t you? Have you even listened to one single word they said? Why, by the Goddess of Sand, did you agree to especially this? It was the dumbest idea of them all.”

He turned his head to the side and looked at the stunned and also angered face of Nabooru. She was right. His only intention was to keep their mouth closed and that he had no clue to what he had actually agreed. But it did not care him much either. In the end, he was not the one who had to do the work.

He let a short time pass before he gave her an answer. “It would be wise if you finally understand your position between the both of us. I’m the king, I make the decisions and if I want any advice from the side, I ask for it. After all these years it should have even gotten into your stubborn head.”

“Is that all you have to say?” she responded undeterred but he had no intentions to say anything else. She sighed deeply. “Where has your ambition gone? The one to get your will and eliminate all the ones who won’t bow down to it?”

“If you have nothing worth to say, you can leave this room through the same entrance you’ve come in, you know?” he stated blunt without caring for her provocation and turned his head away again.

He heard how she sighed bugged and let her hands slid down on her knees before she walked away. When she stood at the door frame, she turned around once again. He still did not look at her when she said, “Well, Ganondorf, today I have a special tale for you. I thought long about it and when the right time has come to tell you. But I think the right moment is now.” He raised his head. “I’m not entirely sure if you can actually deal with stories like these anymore since it’s a tragedy. A tragedy of a beast that rose from the desert years ago.”

In a melancholic voice Nabooru continued, “You must know, he was once renowned for his ruthlessness, his thirst for blood and his lust for domination. He had the heart of a merciless warrior and the soul of a manipulative sorcerer. He would stop at nothing to gain what he desired, no matter how unreachable it seemed. Though the other tribes loathed him and desired for his head, he was worshiped by his own kind as their savior, even their hero. But he changed once he climbed up on a foreign throne. The burning ambition he had in his eyes, it vanished and they turned blind. In the end, the beast had lost his claws and only the power, the only thing that remains of him, gives him respect amongst his own people. Who knows how it would be if even that had gone…”

At this moment, he was speechless. However, before he could recover his tongue, he had to find out that she had not finished. “I would have never thought it. Never. But actually I miss this obnoxious leader we once had. I truly do. It’s a shame to witness what happens to the ones who achieve their goal. No matter how ambitious they were before, after they gained whatever they desired, they become a former shadow of themselves. If I had known this earlier, I might have been taken better care of our leader that had respect for his people and own roots unlike the one we have now.”  
She turned around and left. He had not come up with a decent answer. There was none.

He was alone and still gazed forlorn at the wall in front of him. It was hard to admit but her words had gotten to him and, worse, they were true in their core. However he, and only he, knew that the beast had not turned blind. Neither had he lost his ambition or claws. These were only hiding behind a mask he wore since seven long years; a timeframe that was even enough to fool the one, who he considered knew him the best and this since his childhood.

But, no matter how much he loathed it and no matter how disgusting it felt to behave this way, there was no other solution. At least not if he wanted to overpower the ‘inevitable’ destiny. The one that told of his downfall and would fulfill itself if he had continued to rob, no matter if it were unanimated objects or lives. It was shown to him every time he relapsed to his natural behavior as the hero was without mercy when it came down to his atrocities against the Hyrulian.

It was a shame. Even up to today he was not able to defeat him even once and he met him every time he slept. Though at least, if he treated the inhabitants accordantly, the fight lasted long enough that it ended in a draw when he woke up normally from his slumber.  
However, besides this fact, if one of the inhabitants took it too far nonetheless, he was not reserved to get violent. Mostly it resulted in their death, but it was worth it, even though he had to pay the price the night afterwards.

It were these acts and the powers he possessed, like Nabooru stated, that restrained his followers and own people from questioning or even rebelling against him. He knew how much they detested the way he reigned and the rumor roaming around that he had become soft coward or even spineless wimp. But he kept his reason always a secret. There was nothing they could do when even he was powerless against it and certainly, they would never take it serious either and indeed claim he had lost his mind. Though they would never dare to speak it out load in his presence because they knew it probably would cost them their head.

* * *

Since the conference, which was followed by many others, a few days had passed by. Even now he should have participated in one again, listening to the annoying needs of some even more annoying people. But he was for certain not in the mood to endure the presence of anyone and passed on the duty on the next Gerudo that crossed his way.

He insisted to be alone in one of the small rooms in the castle. It was rare that anybody got lost here and the only ones present were books, ancient and modern alike. But they were silent, and no matter what happened, they would never tell it anybody. He appreciated this behavior of them.

The afternoon sun was shining on his back when he sat at the study desk and inspected his crone. The evidence that he held the highest office of the Kingdom of Hyrule and which he lusted after for so many years.

It was masterful forged, made of pure gold and cluttered with jewelry. However, the stone in the front, meant to be the greatest one, was not a diamond. He insisted it to be a topaz, a gem he valued the most and that, still up to today, left deep impressions in him. Maybe it was because its color reminded him of his former home. The one that shaped him the most and despite its harsh environment, still had some meaning to him. He probably would have never had become this strong and determined if he would have been born and raised anywhere else.

He starred at it as he realized, it would never get him out of this misery either. Quite the opposite, it was the whole reason for it. Bugged he tossed the crone away and moaned load once he hammered his elbows on the table and tore the hairs on his occiput.

It were moments like these where he missed the old days. The days in which he was renowned as the King of Thieves, a ruthless one no one dared to mess or even order around and especially no one would have bothered with ridiculous request like building a bridge. Back then they were grateful if they survived the encounter without serious harms.

Because everything he needed, everything he desired, he took without asking questions. The ones that annoyed him, that even opposed him, he erased them from the surface without remorse.  
He never thought about consequences, he never had to. Neither he had to take any responsibility for his crimes, namely the raids where he even spread deaths. The powers he wielded combined with his position amongst the Gerudo almost made him inviolable against the laws, because if they attacked him, they attacked all of them, which was equitable to a declaration of war. Therefore he was never afraid to be taken to justice.

There was no reason to be afraid. There was no reason to restrain his nature. There was no reason to be satisfied with was he had.  
It was when he made the fateful decision to take the Kingdom of Hyrule for himself, by force. Only because they tried to avoid a war did not mean he tried too. In the end, everything seemed to play out in his favor, beginning with the fall of the Hyrulian dynasty and gaining divine power, followed by the defeat and oppression of the other tribes and ending in the absolute annihilation of the resistance.

He never would forget the victorious feeling once he knew, he had won. He had achieved what he lusted after for so many years. All belonged to him and he could do with it whatever he pleased, making everybody bound to his will and killing all the ones who would not deign to it. He would rule them all with an iron fist, caring only for his needs.

But as soon as he had climbed up to the highest position, he was chained. Entirely. He was pushed into a role he would never accept but had to endure. But the worst part was, these chains were not graspable and he would never know when or if he ever would meet with the one who hold them.

He groaned even loader when he thought how pathetic it was.  
Pathetic. Just pathetic. A man who wielded a divine force was powerless against dreams. Dreams of a courageous hero that he was not able, even after thousands of times, to defeat. Everything he had achieved in his life, it seemed like one single hero destroyed it all without major difficulties.

When he had calmed down, he smiled desperate when he thought that after all these years, there was still no sight of him. Here and there he got reports from his minion that some person opposed them, but either he vanished and was never heard of again or they got his hands on him. But it was never the one he searched and it questioned him how much longer he had to bear this situation.

However, no matter how long he must wait, he would. He must.  
What are a few more years compared to an eternity he could rule his way once his biggest demise appeared and he was able to destroy him?  
He smiled mischievous as he answered the question himself. Nothing. These years were absolutely nothing.  
The role of the hero was to revenge the ones who suffered and free them from the ruthless reign of an evil overlord, the fate that was given to him. But when he denied filling in this role, there would be no hero needed and he would lack an important resource to overpower him.  
He could not become as strong as the one he always met at the dark hours and if he killed the real one, there would be no other who can offer any threat to him. And then, Hyrule would be his and once it would not satisfy him any longer, he would conquer the rest of the world.

His smile got more and more sinister the more he wallowed in his thoughts, what he would do once his foe was sent to hell. It was delicious. First he would gain his reputation again, slaughter all the ones who annoyed him with their requests. He would revive the old days when he and his fellow Gerudo raided the towns, got their fingers on anything they deemed worthy and left only ruins behind. And then…

Out of a sudden, the door burst open and nearly took of its hangers. He cringed together before he looked at the causer, a Bokoblin.  
“Ganon, here ya’re. Was quite a mess to find ya. We’ve caught ‘n invader who lurked ‘round the castle,” moaned the monster.

He needed some seconds to overcome his moment of shock as it totally had caught him off guard. After he had found his tongue again, he responded annoyed, “And which reasons do you have to bother me with it instead of letting him rot in the oubliette?”

“The guy’s strong. Said he wouldn’t leave as long as he hadn’t spoken with ya. So we thought it’s the best if we let…,” explained the Bokoblin but he interrupted him soon.

“And since when the hell do I care what some cursed riffraff wants,” he roared and hit the table with his fist hard enough that the impact almost burst it. “Just cut off his head and…”  
In an instant he lapsed into silence. Even his heart missed a beat in the moment when his eyes got sight of the invader, who was in company of two Lizalfos.

It was the first time in his life where he felt this immense pressure inside him caused only by the cheer presence of the invader alone. Never had any individual this effect on him. Never. And he knew, it would not get any better anytime soon.

 


	7. The Dark Lord – The fateful Gathering

Eagerly, the three monsters waited for his order, precisely one that contained the execution of the man in their middle. But he did not give it as he was unable to say anything. The words vanished as soon as they had entered his mind. If it would not be a paradox in itself, he would have claimed that the silence was hearable.

However, no matter the astonishment, there were no doubts about the identity of this invader. The outer appearance, a small blond Hylian who wore a green tunic and a pointy hat... It was him, the one that once introduced himself as Link, his literally worst nightmare. A hero that truly deserved his title and who had this determination in his eyes as if he was willing to step up against anybody if it was necessary, no matter how far out of his own reach he might be. He had not ever seen this in anyone else’s but his.  
Disgusting but nevertheless, this was courage. Courage of a divine degree, powerful on its very own.

He felt how it awoke, the aggression, the inner cry for blood. And what a wonderful chance it was, now that he stood here, captured by his underlings, kept in the direct range for a lethal attack. Taken by surprise, he probably would not be able to withstand it and get destroyed in one single blow.

But nonetheless, he struggled in executing it. What if Link was prepared for such an attack and expected it, resulting that he failed in killing him? He had no proper plan since he never imagined that the hero would just come to his castle without any forewarning.   
In the end, a reckless attack could very easily backfire. This man was not some random lowlife he just crushed on his rise to absolute domination. No, he proved himself to be a dangerous opponent, worthy to be called his one and only nemesis, surpassing these generals of the resistance by dimensions.

Therefore, despite all his desire for his death, he would not give in. At least, not now. As long as he could not estimate how strong the real hero was, the risk was too high he would repeat the fault he made so many times. No matter how innocent he might look or act, how small he was compared to himself, he would not let himself get fooled by the temptation in underestimating him as he knew better now. And if he fell for it this time, it would be the last mistake he ever made. Ever.

The Bokoblin seemed to have lost his patience in the meanwhile, when he mumbled annoyed, “What’s up with ya, Ganon? Ya aren’t telling me that a littl’ boy is impressin’ ya, are ya? Dude, gone that soft that even kids scare ya?”

His murderous glare made the creature silent in an instant. It itched strong in his fingers to teach this monster a painfully or even deadly lesson. But he assumed that violence against anyone now would immediately end in a fight against the hero. It would be wise to delay it further until he had a proper plan.

He pretended as if he had not heard the Bokoblin. He stood up and faced Link with an undeterred expression, overplaying any insecurities and aggressions of his inner self. He hoped that he had not heard his outburst from before or did not take it serious, when he spoke to him as neutral as he could, “Well, I’m quite surprised. You sneaked into my castle, got caught by my men and put yourself into all this trouble because you want to speak. Precisely, you want to speak with me.” He crossed the arms before his chest. When he thought about it, it was one of the dumbest explanation he had ever heard. This Link could not truly think he would believe this.   
“You must know, your method is quite drastically if you only intend that. This makes someone of my position questioning if this truly everything you want, or if you have further intentions in mind.”

It was everything expect easy to tame his temper and remain somehow relaxed, but as long as the hero, who looked indeed tensed, would not show any sign of attacking, he would neither. He did not know which knowledge Link possessed about the kingdom, the fall of the royal family and the rest of the war and what his beliefs were about them, but it would be the best if he acted like he did not know him at all.

When he observed him, he could see in his body language that he calmed down a little though his expression remained determined. The two Lizalfos still held him tight in their middle when he said straight-forward, “I’m glad you finally asked despite your heartwarming welcome, but I can only repeat what I’ve told your ‘men’ before. I need to talk with you and it’s more than important. You can believe me, I also would’ve preferred other circumstances but they denied me any kind of an official meeting with you. I know that my method is not the most fitting, but I didn’t see any other way than convincing them to bring me to you.”  
Despite all, his voice sounded a little flattering. At least something pleasant that this one was not the arrogant and overconfident self-claimed savior he else met.

The things he said carried some valuable information. They indicated that he, if he was not a very good liar, came alone and no other companion lurked through the castle. Also, since he had heard his outburst but did not attack, let assume that he hold not the strong aversion like his alter ego. This one never hesitated when they met and the arguments never lasted more than a few words.  
No matter how this might end, it was truly a great satisfaction to witness that he was able to get the hero in such a position though the sacrifices for it were not small ones.

“I see. Something high important you want to speak about,” he responded doubtfully because one thing still bothered him. It was the rift on his back which he should not possess at this point, considering he was meant to be a prisoner. He did not like it at all since it most probably was this one specific magical artifact.

“And with this sole intention in mind, you carry a sword around you and neither make a secret about it. You must know, it makes me wonder. You’re none of my guards, so why would someone like you bring such a shaped piece of steel to a king?”  
Regardless of the tensed atmosphere, he only hoped Link did not notice the short cynical smile when he thought about why he himself brought a sword to the meeting with the former King of Hyrule. “Normally one would do so with only one thing in mind, which is considered as one of the highest crimes you can commit. Either awarded with the most pleasant victory if done right, or punished with the cruelest sentence in existence if done wrong. Tell me, is there something special about it that you don’t put it aside?”

Link tried to answer but before he had any chances, he was interrupted by the Bokoblin, “Yes, Ganon. This thing is a freakin’ mess of shit. Can ya believe this? My buddy tried to take it and just got… all whoosh and ouch and so! Totally crazy, I tell ya! Wouldn’t even believe it myself if I hadn’t seen it!”

“Totally true! I can witnezz it!” hissed one of the Lizalfos. “That’zz why we dezzided he’zz too tough for uzz and you come in handy! Or better zzay, your powerzz.”

These were indeed bad news. Very bad ones. His nemesis had his hands on the cursed sacred sword. This meant to pay lot of attention once the words would change for physically arguments as even one slight touch would burn remorseless through his skin.

“I’m truly sorry about this one,” apologized Link calmly. “I never intended to hurt him that much, but since he attacked me, I had to defend myself. The sword itself was a gift from a good friend of mine and he told me to take good care of it. So I always take it with me, no matter where I go. And these ones seemed to have some problems to touch it, therefore I still have it. Maybe it’s because they’re not human.”

“Ya know what? Keep ya stupid excuses to yaself. Don’t want to hear that pathetic shit!” cut the Bokoblin Link off before he turned to him and demanded, “Ganon, he should be worth to die by ya hands, don’t ya think?”

“What are you talking about? No one is going to die here!” he responded sharp. How much he felt like to crush the Bokoblin into the next wall for his stupidity. He had his intentions and this monster did the best to ruin them entirely. But he could not do much against it without ruining them himself though it was extremely hard to refrain from it.   
“I highly recommend you and any other to not telling me what I should do and what not. But either way, it would be the best for you if you keep your mouth closed!”

Soon he noticed that his underling had not understood the meaning, neither the menace of his words, when he answered undeterred, “What’s up with ya, dude? Why the hesitation? Developed remorse or what? He’s a Hylian, unnecessary riff-raff. I always thought ya take so much pleasure in killi…”

He could not. He could not take this anymore. It was the moment when he lost the control of his temper. Without any forewarning, he released a small ball of dark magic he formed while the Bokoblin was still speaking. With a scream and a loud sound this one crushed into the wall. The impact was hard enough that it destroyed the first stone layer and some plaster crumbled down on his body. It rested motionless on the floor.

He regretted his outburst. He did exactly what he did not want to do and worse, the hero was now alarmed. Neither he would be able to get him by surprise anymore nor get to know anything else about him to get a proper plan.  
However, nothing could be done about it anymore. It was foreseeable it ended in a battle sooner or later.

But the attack also surprised the Lizalfos, who accidently let go of the prisoner. Link did not hesitate a second to get his hands on his sword. After the first shock vanished, the Lizalfos reacted immediately and prepared their daggers. They boosted their bodies, indicating they were ready to take on the fight. But he knew, they had not even a slight chance of gaining victory. However, he was not in the best position either.

The room was far too small to be a proper battlefield. His magic was most useful in range combat since the powerful incantations needed a specific amount of time to be released. It was always dangerous plan to use them when he was in close combat range, but considering that this sword could inflect pain beyond bearableness, it was not an option. Not to mention that it could easily break the ceiling or greater parts of the castle. Being additionally buried under all the boulders would not be helpful either.  
But he could not rely on the faster but less effective spells. This one might have gotten the Bokoblin, but he had to witness in one of the thousand fights that the sword was also able to reflect them. And since his magic was powerful, it even inflected severe damage on him if he was hit by it. It restricted his options even further.

However, against bare steel it held nothing special. Swords always did their job in close combat. While the Lizalfos had stepped back a little, leaving Link to one side near the entrance and they stood on the other, he grabbed to his left side. But he only hit the air.  
Irritated he looked down on where his sword should have been, but it was not there.

It twisted his stomach when he realized that he had not taken it with him. But he realized something else as well. Not only was he without any weapons, he was without armor as well. The only thing he wore was a robe, which offered no protection at all. When he stood up this morning, he only took something on that was lying around and the crown, but did not care for anything else since there was no reason for it. He did not intend to participate in any conference or meet with anybody. If any of his own men picked him the wrong way, the magic was enough of a defense.

This was bad. Utterly bad. He did not want to think about how often he got told to ever expect the unexpected, no matter how safe the situation seemed to be. Now he knew it were not empty words and his people did not repeat it again and again to annoy him. But no matter how much he loathed to admit it, fighting at such a disadvantage would be foolish, even for him. One mortal hit and he would indeed experience the same fate he brought to the former king. No power, not even the divine one he wielded, would save him from it.

He must at least try to delay the final fight until he got a better preparation. Or any preparation at all.  
While Link and the two Lizalfos were still starring dangerously at each other with the weapons in their hands crying for blood, he took up the word and said soothing, “Come on now. Take the blades down. I think we’re all grown up enough that we can clarify this situation like civilized men without bloodshed.”

All three turned their heads towards him and the confusion was visible all over their faces. It took them some time before they realized what he said. Then, slowly, Link responded doubtfully, “You just killed one of your own men in front of my and their eyes without any forewarning…” His voice was trembling and he made a short pause before he continued with the sword still combat-ready, “And you tell us we should behave like civilized men? In all modesty, ‘majesty’, I think you’ve addressed the wrong one.”

With a wave of his hand he put the accusation off.  
“For your information before you claim I might be a murderer, I didn’t kill him. Not at all. It was a necessary disciplinary measure in regard to his inappropriate behavior,” he stated blunt without blinking an eye.

“For me, he looks pretty much dead,” answered Link harsh. With a suspicious glare he switched his sight between him and the two Lizalfos, with the sword protective in front of him.

“Oh, it does?” He laughed out loud before he added, “I see, I’m truly sorry if my action has shocked you. It wasn’t my intention. I thought you were familiar with, how most call them, ‘monsters’. Believe me, they can take far more than you can imagine. You shouldn’t think he’s seriously hurt because he isn’t. It lays in their nature that their body is far more robust. But they can also be quite barbarous in their behavior. Therefore you have to be very dominant and drastically in measurement, otherwise they act up with you. However, once you get used to them, they’re an amazing gain. I and many others of this kingdom wouldn’t want to forgo of them just because of little disputes like these.”

He could not estimate how Link would react to this statement but he made sure to dissemble anything that might show him he fudged an excuse. Not that he had any other options besides physically ones. Link eyed him, the suspicion overshadowing his determination, but at least he did not tried to slaughter him directly for it. It was kind of an achievement.  
Maybe he could turn the situation once again, as long as he would not lose the control over himself a second time. A bad habit, indeed.

In the glimpse of his eyes he observed the Lizalfos, who starred speechless at him. Thankfully, the hero did not look to his side anymore and therefore did not see their facial expressions. However, this time he could not blame them for acting this way.

Since some time passed by and none of them seemed to say anything, he demanded, “However, the other two will go and care for him to get him back on his feet. I’m sure he will soon recover and learn from it.” Piercing he glared at the two Lizalfos and added with a threatening undertone, “Isn’t that right?”

Shortly they looked confused at each other before one of them hizzed, “Yezz, of courzze, Lord Ganondorf. Azz you wizzh.”  
They took back their daggers. With one eye still watching at Link, they took the body of their comrade and left.

In the end, it did not make a difference in terms of combat if they were there or not. They would not stand a chance against this hero, but it would be far easier if they did not listen to the conversation. They would not get behind his ulterior motives and probably come up with unnecessary or contra productive statements like the dead Bokoblin did before.

The sound of the footsteps slowly vanished when he still eyed calmly the hero. He would not show him how disadvantageous his position was, nor any of his nervousness.  
Once he could not hear their steps anymore, he asked undeterred, “How long do you intend to hold that blade against me?”

Link kept a straight face when he answered, “Until I can be certain I don’t have to witness another ‘disciplinary measure’ from you.”

He smirked. “You don’t trust me, do you?”

“Well, let’s say I still have my doubts.”

“Afraid that I might attack you out of a sudden, isn’t it?” he responded defiant with a sardonically smile. Truly, it was pleasant to know the fears of others and show it to them. An adorable kind of power and sometimes even more effective than brute force. However, regarding the situation, it would be wise to not play around with it and provoke an attack.

“Then let me clarify one thing for you. If I wanted to see you dead, I would’ve done so long before. This conversation would’ve never taken place either. Don’t think I would hesitate if I fear that my life is in danger,” he said menacing before he added in a more soothing but also dominant intonation, “That said, I told you before that it leaves a bad taste if you wield a sword in front of a king. Especially if your only intention was to ‘speak’ as you claim. I would be very pleased if you could remove it from between us.”

Slowly Link lowered the sword but he still hold it tight in his hands, prepared for a fight.  
“A king, you say. That’s a good keyword. Since I hadn’t the time to introduce myself properly, I will catch up on it now. My name is Link and I come from a distant village. I decided to visit Hyrule to get familiar with this kingdom since I was always curious to witness it with my own eyes. But on my journey I heard some interesting stories about its recent past. These were interesting enough that I decided to seek out the truth which ended in a desire to meet the current king of it.”  
His eyes had a dangerous glare when he added provocative, “Or, to be more precise, the one who claims to be the king after he unlawfully usurped the throne. Not to mention all the lives that got lost due to him in the war for his rise.”

A courageous utterance, indeed. Under normal circumstances, this statement resembled a death wish.  
But it was a very long time since he was confronted with it. Of course there were people out there who favored the leadership under the old royal family, regardless of the issues he settled, but he could have sworn that this episteme had been annihilated once he started the rebuild of the kingdom.

However, it questioned him from where or whom he got the idea. At least when his claim was true that he did not witness the recent history of Hyrule with his own eyes, but he was confident he would notice when Link would lie. One person came to his mind directly and it would use exactly those words. And many other uncharming ones as well. A very clever one that he actually met before the war started and only due to its age was not a danger for his plans of conquering. Otherwise they might, no, they definitely would have failed right at the beginning. This person was the only one he was unable to manipulate. No matter what he tried, how good he hide it, this one saw through all of it immediately. The one who must be blessed with wisdom, there was no other explanation for this.

“That is some hard accusation. It really makes me questioning who told you these horrible stories. However, I can’t help but think about one particular person that has strong connections with the former royal household,” he responded pensively. In the end, it might not be that unlikely the both truly met if this person knew about the hero as well and searched for him.

“I can’t see how this would matter,” answered Link directly and unusually harsh. Even though his facial expression did not change, the way he responded left no doubts for him that it was her who told him everything. That was indeed an interesting turn. But he was not sure if it was a good or a bad one. However, it definitely changed everything. And he could not resist this temptation. It was impossible.

“If you answer in this way, it means ‘yes’.” He released a heavy sight when he continued in a pitiful voice, “It was foreseeable she would search a victim and infect it with her conspiracy theory. She is very convincing with her side of the story and in defaming mine, isn’t she? I can very well imagine what she told you. About me, about the war, about the downfall of the royal family. Zelda is her name, right?”

It was impressive, every time again. Mere words at the right time could be powerful. Very powerful. The once straight face had vanished and the determination in his eyes left place for bafflement.  
However, it did not hold on very long before Link recovered. His body was shaking and his eyes glared dangerously when he lifted up the sword again, pointing it directly at him and asked, determined and trembling at the same time, “I have no clue how you figured it out that soon. It’s almost frightening. But since you claim to know so much, I can assume that you know what she has to say about you, usurper of the throne?”

It was all or nothing at this point, he had to risk it. Playing dumb would not gain him everything, neither would if he acted like an innocent one. Either he would get him somehow convinced from his side or he had to douche the blade until he got his hands on his own.

“Oh, but of course I know that. It’s not a secret between us that she conceives a strong abhorrence for me. A very strong and deep one to be precise.” He made a snide gesticulation before he took his seat again. Then calmly and slowly, in an almost pitying manner, he continued in his defamation, “She, most likely, in her twisted reality, portrayed me as a ruthless evil overlord. One who only hungers for power and domination. Who commits murders to get his will, causes bloodshed without regret, destroys the kingdom from the inside and drowns the inhabitants in utter despair while he only cares for himself. But the worst is that despite all, he isn’t satisfied. Because he never will. No matter what he possesses, he will lust for more and more power, losing all of his humanity on his rise. In the end, all that remains of him is a dehumanized beast, who would be renowned and furthermore feared as the Great King of Evil Ganon.”  
He sighed load and braced his head on his left hand while he still faced the hero and said entirely self-confident, “Must be a piggish monster, this individual that she created in her mind. Cruel and pitiful at the same time, don’t you think?”

Certainly, it was hard to remain that calm on the outside while he almost burst in the inside. Even though he pronounced it like it were false assumptions, these words angered him a lot nonetheless. But he could not deny it. It was exaggerated what she once told him about himself, but it was true at its core.

However, now it would be shown if he would be able to drag him into the position he wanted him to have and maybe get finally his hands on Zelda as well. He could very well imagine that she was still in contact with him. Since she carried that much of knowledge and wisdom, it was most likely she knew the potential in this Hylian and his fate of being a hero and his doom. She would not leave him, definitely not.

He had searched for this woman since seven to eight years, but every time he seek her out, she slipped away again. Though he always considered Link to be the greatest foe that must be eliminated by all costs, she could indeed provide to be another problem when she found a way to overthrow him with her wisdom.  
He must get rid of her as well and if this hero offered him the chance for it, it would be a very interesting twist of destiny he would not ignore.


	8. Power and Courage

It were tensed moments like these where seconds felt to become hours. Endless hours.  
Link starred at him, his eyes were restless, but he did not say one word. However, it was visible in them and his lack of action, the inner struggle he fought. This was one of the most satisfying things he witnessed in the past years because it could only mean that he had not come to a final decision. This once so confident hero had doubts about his destiny, about Zelda and more important, about his true enemy.

However, he had to refrain from becoming careless now because in the end, the sword still pointed at him and it would not forgive him one mistake. He still leaned his head on his hand and despite the nervousness he felt, he made sure that his expression would give nothing away of it. But the fingers with which he kneaded his ear, they got sweaty. It had been a long time since they had become this. A very long time.

Then, finally, Link ended the silence and in a mistrusting way he said, “Interesting. You know all of it. And besides all these horrible stories that are told about you, you don’t sound like it bothers you at all. Don’t you think it should if it isn’t the truth?”

Unimpressed he returned the gazing look of the hero before he responded, “What was your name again? Link, right?” He leaned towards the other side of his chair.  
“Well, you should know, I’m a busy man. I have to rule an entire country. If I care or even get insulted by such untenable and childish conspiracies by a laughable minority and, as a consequence, lose sight of the important matters, then it’s an evidence for one thing.”

He made a short pause in which he used to sit upright before he continued in a very serious manner, “It would prove that I failed my responsibility for this kingdom and more important, its inhabitants. I’m certain that you can agree with me, I have other priorities than bother for such pathetic accusations and waste my precious time with them.”

He waited patiently when Link hesitated, but to his chagrin, the hero was not someone who let himself easily convinced. “You’re absolutely right, the people should always be the priority in any decisions. Especially if you hold such an office as you do. However, you acknowledged it yourself. She is not someone out of many, she is the former princess. Therefore she has a lot more knowledge about everything that revolves around the war than anybody else.”

Link’s eyes developed a dangerous glare and he lowered his voice when he claimed, “You can’t tell me that it doesn’t bother you that someone of the former royal family is still alive and was able to escape. You tried to kill her more than once. I can’t see how this can fit to your claim that people should be the priority and not your personal grudges.”

Link’s hands encompassed the sword even stronger and according to his body language, the hero had to hold himself back to not get violent. But he would not let himself get irritated by Link. He had come too far to lose his temper and to the hero now. Not this time. Not with carefully chosen words.  
He shook his head and in a disappointed manner he responded, “She really has told you some stories. And unfortunately, you believe them. But I can’t blame her that she believes in her own truth. However, I can tell you, it can’t differ more from reality.”

Self-confident he explained, “Believe it or not, she did not escape like she loves to claim. I let her go. Her ‘escape’ was entirely on my order. And I don’t know, who or even if someone haunts her, but you can be certain, it’s not on my behalf.”  
There was no need to be afraid that it backfired. There was no evidence for this chase. None of his underlings ever reported about anyone who opposed them when they got track of Zelda and tried to capture her. Neither did he miss any of his troops.

He observed Link but since he did not look like he became more suspicious than before, he added with a serious but also annoyed attitude, “Honestly, what does she think what kind of human I am? I had no reason to steal her life. She was young and in opposite to the rest of her family, she wasn’t corrupted. But unfortunate, she was too young and unexperienced to rule. However, now she is imprisoned in her own reality because she couldn’t deal with the loss of her family. Pitiful woman.”  
He braced his elbow on the table and starred at his hand palm. “And now I’m branded as the monster who ruined the kingdom instead of the ones who deserved it. The beast who supposedly lost his humanity. However, I can’t see how or when I actually should’ve transformed into it. Can you?”

He dropped his arms on the elbow-rest, leaving himself open and looked challenging at Link. Of course it would be extremely inconvenient if he misjudged the hero and this one decided to attack but it was the danger he had to risk. However, he had a lot of experience in calculating his enemies and predicting their behavior, always using it for his advantage while luring them into the position he wanted them to have.

He noticed how Link intended to answer, but he struggled for words. It were the doubts that rose bigger in his eyes and filled his face. He always loved this sight, but seeing it on the hero made it even more delicious.  
“If you don’t say otherwise, I assume you can’t see it either. However, since you continue to threaten me with this sword, I wonder if you still believe that the reign of the former king and his family was beneficial, like they loved to claim, and I’m the one who ruined it all.”  
He leaned forward when he added more demanding and sinister, “Tell me, Link, what is it that makes you still clinging on the old-wives’ tale?”

He had to watch out that he did not put too much pressure on the hero but if he did not put any at all, he would never get the effective target he needed to convince him of his twisted view.  
Link breathed heavily and visibly struggled with himself but after a last deep one, he answered straight-forward, “All in all, ‘majesty’, I have to tell you that after all I’ve heard, a change of reign did not seemed necessary. Not at all. I don’t know what your understanding of ‘beneficial’ is, but under the old rule, the people lived in peace and had everything they needed. Until of course, there was a greedy one who needed more, but instead of solving it in a peaceful way, he started a war and accepted all the misery and death it caused.”

It was hearable that he was not used to burning anger when his voice got more and more furious in his explanation. He even swallowed up some words. Then, after a while, he finished his rage, “And now this person just sits here in front of me and tries to explain that he only did it to bring peace. Justify his actions with ridiculous reasons. Give me one single person with sense in his mind, who would think anything else besides that this person is a power-hungry monster that must be stopped, immediately.”

Truly, a hero, with all the noble words he had to say. In this regard, he was in no way inferior to his alter ego. But no matter how challenging Link held up the sword against him, he would not respond to it. He would not give his own aggression room and destroy everything he reached until this point.

In a calm manner he asked provocative, “This is what you believe? This is it? And you’re sure you can speak up for every person in this kingdom? Every single one?”  
He made a pause but before Link could give him an answer, he said, “I can agree with you that on the first sight, there was nothing wrong with their rule. But this is only one side. I don’t have to tell you that when there is sunlight, than there is almost always a shadow, have I?”

“What do you mean?” Link burst out immediately, before he tempered down again. “You’re not going to tell me that there are indeed reasonable reasons in your conquest besides lust for power? Why should I believe in a story of someone who was a king of bandits?”

“And on what do you base your accusation? Not on evidences but on prejudgment and personal preferences, isn’t it? Do you think you can make a right decision on a base like that?” he stated unimpressed but again he did not give Link a chance to answer. “Listen. It’s true that my past isn’t that honorable but I can’t change that. But what I’ve changed is the present. However, you Link, you are the one who decides the future by either ignoring the past or the present of me. But should you ignore something you have never heard of? See, in the end, when you know my and her version about the war and everything around it, it’s still up to you if you think it’s the right thing to call me a power-hungry conqueror you want to stop or if you see that the people are far better off without the old royal family.”

When he stood up, he starred in the eyes of Link from his higher position before he asked dominant, “Is this a proposal we both can agree to? Remember, you have nothing to lose besides a little of your time. But shouldn’t this be worth for such a fatal decision?”

Link did not answer, nor loosened his gaze, but the movement of his head indicated he was willing to listen, even though he still showed reluctance. But he did not care for this. It would not last much longer, it would crumble. At this point, there was no other possibility anymore.

“You see, it is true that their reign was beneficial as long as it was about their own people and the ones they deemed worthy. In short, the majority,” he explained while he braced himself with one arm on the desk besides him. “But for minorities they had nothing left. Absolutely nothing. As the King of the Gerudo, known as the tribe of desert thieves, I experiences their merciless reign, day after day, year after year and no matter what I did, it never changed.”

“You can believe me, we never wanted to live in the desert, but we had to. We never wanted to become bandits, but we had to. These ‘beneficial’ ones banished us into the wasteland. Watched how we fought to survive.” He averted his gaze from Link when he said in a bitter manner, “But they never cared, never listened. Neither how much of us died, nor how much we desired to be a part of their society. Like all the other minorities who shared our fate, we were the scum of this kingdom and treated as such. We could be glad that we were allowed to live anywhere under their reign.”

He clenched his fist when he spit out the following words, “Generous, isn’t it? Beneficial, isn’t it?”  
After he had turned his head around again, he said energetically, “Do you have even the slightest clue how it feels when you see your own people suffer and die but you, even as their king, are unable to change their fate? Then, on the other side, you see those who bath in their prosperity, but turn a blind eye on you. Pushing you always back into your misery. Even laughing at you and spit on your inability to change anything.”

Without blinking an eye, he stood in front of Link without losing his gaze, the sword dangerously nearby him. But there was no need any more to be afraid to get slaughtered by the hero. He lacked the determination in his eyes for this act. Now it was only a matter of time until he would have exploited all the doubts of him and destroy his confidence. The one he had in his destiny, in Zelda and in the true story behind the war of Hyrule.

Self-confident he claimed, “Yes, you can blame me that I couldn’t bear this anymore. Yes, you can blame me that I wanted better for my people. Yes, you can blame me again that I took up my sword to make them listen to all the unheard ones.” A sly smile appeared. “But no matter what others say, I’m absolutely certain that they would’ve done the same if they were in my position. Even you.”

Every time again it was fascinating how easy it became to say those false things once he started and got himself into it, almost to the point where he would believe them himself. It was not necessary to think about them anymore, the words just flooded, twisting the reality in the way he needed it. It was not even a problem in the ongoing discussion when Link tried to find any holes in the explanation that came up. He could fill in every one that the hero believed he found and lure him into his web of lies.

He had no feeling anymore, how much time he had discussed with hero but it did not matter to him. He had achieved what he wanted, even better than he had thought. The uncertainty was visible all over the hero’s body. It left such a deep satisfaction which he had not felt for many years. It was delecious.

“I tell you, seven years of reign are nothing to clean up all the mess the former dynasty created. Nothing,” he concluded with a sorrowful voice. “I’m afraid it might even take some more decades before these corrupted kingdom comes near the stage I imagined it. A kingdom were no one despite his origin or race has to suffer.”

It was wonderful. The expression of someone whose beliefs got broken from deep inside, together with the determination and willpower to kill him. Such a sweet view of victory without any bloodshed. However, this would come, and sooner than this hero would ever wish for. He had to pay the years of self-mutilation back to him.

It was hard to hide the sinister smile and keep the sorrowful mask when he said, “Nevertheless, I’m convinced it’s makeable, even though a little princess sees nothing more than a monster inside me. But what does she know… young and blind as she was back when I freed this country of its suppressors.”

He walked past him and stopped when they stood back to back. Link did not turn around, neither did he say anything.  
“Excuse me that I can’t effort more of my time. But I don’t blame you that you fall for her story. Nonetheless, I hope you came to a conclusion that doesn’t include to impale me with a sword. However, if I might give you one last advice…” He turned his head around but Link did not. “If I were you, I would go to her, this Zelda, and ask her about the entire thing, directly. I’m quite sure her web of lies will crumble much faster than you can imagine. Then you will have the answer that you’ve searched for. But for now I will tell some of my men to guard you to the outside.”

When he walked across the corridor, he looked at his hands. They had become very sweaty. But it was done. Finally done. In the end, everything had paid off. Even better than he believed.  
Not only lacked the hero the determination and the support of the inhabitants to kill him, he was also filled with doubts. He could never, no matter how courageous he might be, become as strong as his alter ego that haunted his dreams. Never.

The only thing left now was to get entirely rid of him and of Zelda as well. The sooner the better, who knew if Zelda would be able to get the hero on her side again, which would make everything very complicated because a second time he probably would not get Link convinced with his version again.

He headed for a Boblin who leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. Soon he interrupted him in his daydreaming when he grabbed him on his shoulder. Shocked the monster starred at him and stumbled, “L-lord Ganondorf, I-I w-w-was only…”

But he did not care for its excuses and commanded without explanations, “Get some others and guide this Hylian in that chamber outside.” He pointed at the room at the end of the corridor. “When you’re outside, than tell the ones at the stables, to get my horse ready. But afterwards, follow him. Never lose sight of him and make sure he doesn’t see, that he doesn’t even recognize anyone of you. And by the Goddess of Sand, no matter what he does - do not attack him! Ever!”

With his whole weight behind him, he pushed the Boblin ruthless against the wall and threatened him with his magic, “There is none, absolute none action that would justify it. If he burns down my castle, let him. Even if he kills my women, let him. But if you fail my orders, you and the ones surrounding you will meet a fate far worse than death. Therefore, remember one thing and burn it into your mind. He is mine! And mine alone!”

* * *

A child screamed, an old pair quarreled, a dog barked. He was surrounded by people and monsters who filled the streets and blathered remorseless against each other, trying to drown out everyone else. But he noticed none of them. His head was headed towards the ground and thoughtless he roamed across the streets of Hyrule Castle Town. More than once he accidentally stumbled into one of the Hyrulians and mumbled an apology.

It was exasperating. He hoped… no, he was sure he would find the last answer he was searching for when he finally met Ganondorf in person. Despite all the doubts he had developed until now, he still was prepared in the inside that this encounter would settle it once and for all with only one survivor. But in the end, he felt even more lost than before between the sides of both royalties. All the thoughts who tried to grasp the truth, the real story behind the war and the kingdom, they ran wild and they were not willing to give any chance to sort them.

But the most frustrating matter was that he knew, he had to deal with it all on his own. He could not rely on anyone because if he did, it would not be his but the decision of another one, who might even be biased and blended by his own ideals.

Old Man, even Ganondorf to some degree, had told him, he was the one who must chose alone the side he would fight on, the side he deemed the fair-minded one, even when it was against his personal ideals.  
But he never imagined it could be this hard because now he was torn between his heart and his mind, both contradicting each other in its core. In the end, it did not seemed like he could find a satisfying solution, no matter which path he chose.

His disorientated journey found an end when he had reached the town’s market place. Slowly he walked upon it, watching the people that crossed his path. Even though he did not listen to their conversations, the overall cheerful atmosphere calmed down his mind.  
These people… they were joyful and relaxed, as always. Not a single sign of suffering. They were happy with their life, as they always were. No sign of despair or misery. And all of it despite, or maybe even because of, the monsters who surrounded them and showed barely respect at all. However, it was not him who had chosen this life, neither was he the one who should tell them how to live it.

Exhausted, but finally calmed, he bumped down on the edge of a fountain. A great and very aesthetic one in the middle of the active place. But despite the whole noise, the flowing sound of the water was soothing. It reminded him of the waterfall in whose near he had often spend hours. Sometimes he called this place his second home when he daydreamed again about the world that awaited him outside of the woods. A world full of adventures and new people and places. Things he always wished to experience and discover himself.

And now he sat here. Actually, he should be grateful that his life dream had come true but he was not. Because he was entirely uncertain what or whom he should believe. However, he was unable to get rid of the feeling that Ganondorf was the one who lied straight into his face without the slightest qualm. Without any remorse or restraint. That everything he claimed about the Gerudo and his noble goals were only a false-pretense to lull the ones, who might offer a threat, into a false sense of security. Only to slaughter them at a later time when they did not bargain for it.

There was no denying that alone the presence of that man was terrifying, but it felt even more intense when he looked him into the eyes. Cold and merciless. There it was, the abyss of darkness, death and destruction. Together with the powers he wielded and the short temper he possessed, Ganondorf was frightening. Maybe this was the first time in his life were he truly feared a human.

But it would not have been him if he would have let influenced himself by fear. He never had and he never would. Therefore, the courage inside him overshadowed it, even to a point where he became very provocative. That he had his sword by his side to keep the distance between him and this man furthermore pushed his security. But to be provocative which might be even ended in a fight, was inconvenient, otherwise he would have never got the answers from Ganondorf he wanted to have.

When he recalled all the things he had heard about him, the things Ganondorf said himself, the acts he committed, even against his own monster, he only came to the conclusion. He could not stand this man. Not at all.  
But the problem was, it was not only about him, Zelda and Ganondorf, there were thousand if not tens or hundreds of thousand people involved in this. He could not ignore them, he should not try to inflect his own ideals on them. At least if he did not want to become a suppressor. And he surely did not want that.

In the end, his feeling was just this. His feeling, based on his beliefs and ideals, nothing more. In this regard, Old Man had told him and Ganondorf almost said the same. He should not base his decision on prejudice and personal preferences, but experiences, and no matter how much it was against his own sense, accept what he witnessed with his own eyes.

Therefore, it did not matter how cold-hearted and merciless Ganondorf might be under the surface, he had given his reasons, comprehensible ones that made sense as a whole. Because he had seen the people, the inhabitants of Hyrule. He had experienced them and their loyalty towards their new king, despite his past and his bad personality treats. He had seen the refreshing landscapes, he had witnessed the rebuild towns and he had experienced their harsh behavior when he interfered with their daily life and as he thought, protected them against the monsterss. They showed him very well what their beliefs were, who they accepted as their new ruler and whom they claimed to be the dangerous intruder. And this intruder was not Ganondorf, he himself was this one.

In the end, it were not stories Ganondorf had just come up with and claimed to be true. Neither did he made any secret out of his atrocities in the past. Things that the inhabitants of Hyrule all knew, but despite it, they still supported him.

He could deny it as much as he wanted. He could wish for something else as much as he wanted. But it would never change the fact that with this encounter, reality had crushed his beliefs. Entirely. And it hurt. It hurt from deep inside

Shattered he starred at the sky after he knew on which side he would stand. At least if he wanted to stay true to his own beliefs, his own ideals and do what was the best for others, namely Hyrule’s inhabitants. Even though he still loathed the thought.

* * *

“I would have never believed it, but it still suits you,” acknowledged Nabooru surprised. She leaned against the wall besides the entrance of his room and had come because she wanted to ask him about a conference. However, she decided spontaneously to stay longer when she saw that he prepared himself for a fight.

At this moment, he put on the last part of his armor which was the traditionally one of the Gerudo King. It was blue with metal strengthened leather on the most vital body parts and was overall ornamented with Gerudo symbolism. He wore it in every important fight, however, the last one was against the generals of the resistance.  
He smiled bitterly. It was indeed a very long time he had worn it.

“Of course it does. What have you thought?” he stated blunt after he was certain that everything was attached. He did not pay much attention to Nabooru the whole time and had not looked even once at her. He had another thing in mind than to deal with her or her subtle remarks.

But he forget that Nabooru loved it to answer his rhetorical questions and she would never lose a chance to do it. Neither was she reserved in the slightest with her statements.  
“What I thought? The last time you touched it was around the time when the war ended. And because you changed your lifestyle since then… Well, let’s just say that I’ve guessed you’ve become bulkier over the past years in this area.” Out of the corner of his eyes he saw that she pointed at her stomach. “And a lot thinner in these parts.” She clasped her upper arm. “But I guess you just used your magic stuff to get around it. Almost enviably. But I’m not sure if these can additionally cover up your neglected abilities in combat.”

“You can be glad. I have neither time nor powers to waste on you. I need both for another one,” he answered casually when he attached the sheath of the sword on his armor. After it, he looked for the first time directly at her and added menacing, “But afterwards, when I’ve returned, you should be more careful with your tongue. Otherwise it can become very ugly for you from now on.”

He intended to go but when he walked towards the entrance, Nabooru responded undeterred, “Are you trying again to threaten me with your empty words?” He looked to his sides and their eyes met directly. “As long as you can’t recall its origin, it’s nothing other than an armor. Don’t fool yourself. It does not hold a special meaning for us anymore.”

He did not wanted to let himself distracted by anything, but he hated it when she scratched on his pride of being a Gerudo and his position amongst them.  
Without any forewarning, he grabbed Nabooru and pushed her ruthless against the wall. She released a scream out of surprise because she probably would have never expected such a rough behavior from him after all the years. But since he also got her off-guard and had a heavy armor on, he eliminated her chances to get free without his permission.

“Nabooru, I warn you. You should not let yourself get fooled by the past seven years. This can be very dangerous, even for you.” He loosened his grasp, before he proclaimed sinister, “Let me tell you, not even one day I have forgotten my destiny with which I was born in my tribe. And today, either the beast of the desert will be reborn in all its might or it will rest for all eternity. But no matter the case, his claws are sharper than a sword and his ambition is burning stronger than the sun. Believe me, this battle will set a new era in this kingdom. And it will not be a bright one. Because I will not lose. I cannot lose. My time has finally come.”

Still terrified, Nabooru looked at him when he let go of her. She did not say a word when he left.  
His wrath boiled inside him. This hero, together with his princess, they both would not be able to witness tomorrow once he had wreaked all his bottled-up rage on them. And after they are gone, with no one remaining who would or even could offer him any resistance, then it was time to show the world to whose will they should bow to if they valued their lives.

However, he never let one thought come through.  
That maybe, destiny is only delayed and that generations afterwards, a new hero can arise. When this time has come, he cannot hide his atrocities behind a façade anymore.

* * *

The sun already tended towards the earth when he left the walls of Hyrule Castle Town far behind him. The evening breeze stroked on the grass when he walked towards a small hill where a horse was cheerfully grazing. And there she waited, on the side of Epona, for his return. But it would be the last one.

Slowly he walked towards Zelda and felt how his breath became heavier with every step he made. Even though he had made his decision, it still did not satisfied him. However, there was no alternative at all that would give him a better feeling. In the end, despite all personal beliefs, this was the best out of them. Not for him, but for many others.

Before he reached her, Zelda looked up at him. Her expression was the friendly one, as always. She had not changed, at least not as he had in the past few hours. Somehow, this made the whole situation even harder for him.  
“Have you found what you were searching for?”

He intended to answer but he was unable to find the right beginning. It seemed like he needed more courage at the moment than he had. He had chosen the way he want to follow. Why was it this hard nonetheless?

“Is everything alright with you?” Zelda’s expression became worried and she folded her hands before her chest. “Has anything happened to you?”

There was no way out of this anymore. He had to go this road now. Long enough he had thought about it and enough had he analyzed it. The only thing left was to tell her, to tell her one last time what was in his mind. Then the last months and his journey would become a part of his past.

“Zelda. You’re right, I have indeed found what I’ve looked for,” he answered before he took his view away again. Sometimes, words were even harder to spoke out than fighting a powerful beast.

Out of the corner of his eyes he could see the questioning expression of Zelda. He had to get it out now. Once again he searched for her look before he said determined, “You see. I have to tell you that even though I don’t like it, I have problems in following your estimation. In all of this. I mean, look at the inhabitants. They don’t lack the courage or anything else to change their life. They feel satisfied with the way it is. They have no fear, neither do they look like they’re suffering or lost in despair. On my whole journey there was none, not even one, who showed enough aversion against his current situation that he would even consider to do anything against it. Not to mention that no one seems to consider opposing Ganondorf, it’s more of the opposite.”

He lowered his voice and almost whispered, “Zelda, there is absolutely no one. By all means, they would never, and I repeat, never, act this way if he was actually an evil king.”

Only the breeze broke the silence when it howled over the landscapes of Hyrule. Zelda only starred at him with the shock sitting deep in her eyes. But he would not change his decision. He had made it once, and for all, when no emotions were involved.

After Zelda had recovered from her first shock she carefully asked, “You are not serious, Link, are you?”  
However, he did not reacted towards it but even his non-reaction seemed to be enough that she could guess immediately what had happened. “No, Link, do not tell me that you have actually met this usurper!”

Again it did not need any answer from him that she got the answer.  
“I should have known it,” she mumbled more to herself than to him. Her voice began to tremble and it was hearable that she had problems to remain calm when she said, “Link, you must listen to me. I can only imagine what Ganondorf had told you, but you must be aware that he is a masterful manipulator in every regard. I do not know how he does it, but I know that he is very convincing and I know that one must be blessed with wisdom to see through it before it is too late.”

She avoided his gaze for a moment but her body language gave away that she was reminded on something terrible. However, he did not intend to ask her for it. He could, he should not become soft and change his mind due to personal preferences. It would be wrong towards all of Hyrule’s habitants.

After a while, she had recovered, but her voice got a bitter undertone when she explained, “You must know, the way you have said it, it sounded very similar to what happened to my family. I warned them, more than ones, but they ignored all of it. Until it was too late and Ganondorf showed his true face. A very ugly one that resembled nothing of the words he said before. There they knew like I knew before, he just uses them like he uses a sword, as a weapon to defeat his enemies and I do not have to tell you how successful he uses both. It’s what makes him so dangerous, he can hide very well his true nature behind false promises until he achieved what he wants. And when he reached this point, he is almost unstoppable because he does not care or even know any morals or ethics. The war should have been more than enough evidence for it, with many unnecessary deaths because of one single madman.”

Forcefully Zelda appealed to him, “Link, whatever he has told you about his motivation, the only true one is his desire for power and absolute domination. I know this man long enough to say undeterred that there is nothing else, no matter how hard he tries to disguise it in nobleness to justify his actions. You have to understand, this man does absolutely not care for anything or anybody else besides himself and his hunger for power. Never did, never will!”

He could agree, Ganondorf was an unpleasant man, there was no denying. But no matter how awkward his personality might be, what he experienced and what Ganondorf said, it matched reality. Unfortunate, hers did not.   
“Zelda, it doesn’t matter what he told me. But I can tell you, it made sense if I like to admit this or not. But what really does matter now is what you tell me.” He starred directly in her eyes when he asked determined, “I ask you one last time. Are you sure you have told me everything I have to know?”

“Link, with which poisoned words has Ganondorf infected you?” she stumbled horrified before she added pledging, “Link, if you let this man win, our world is doomed. Please, see the truth behind his masquerade before it is too late again. Do not make the same mistake my family has made. Please, you cannot tell me that you, our hero, fall for his façade!”

Wordless he turned away from her, his view wandered to the setting sun. This was it. It ended here.  
It was true, he wished he could believe her. Trust her words. Have faith in her.  
However, he could not. There was no destiny to fulfill. No battle to fight.

Because these people, they were not in the need of a hero.  
They did not need him.  
Not at all.

It was then when he noticed the dust cloud with the silhouette of a horse and his rider in the distance horizon. This one, it would soon proclaim the eternal end of his journey and

**the end of Ganondorf’s Façade.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks that you read this fanfic to the end.  
> If you have the time and want to, I would be happy if you leave me your thoughts or anything else you feel like. :)
> 
> As for the story itself, the very basic idea was given to me by another member who wrote me about the following "What-if" scenario: Ganondorf, rather than spreading corruption and evil, gives his people the promised things. Also, he fixes the damage he caused and leaves the Hyrulians alone as long as they don't mess around with him and see him as their ruler.  
> This happens to such a degree that the inhabitants of Hyrule settled to their lives and by the time Link and Zelda return to "save the day" they seem to be the bad ones.
> 
> I found the idea interesting but also the challenge to make it reasonable why someone like Ganondorf, who is at the pinnacle of his power, would act this way. Furthermore, neither Link nor Zelda should look or act like idiots and overall it shouldn't be a parody either. My answer to all of this is the story you've just read though I have to admit, my first intention was to make it only a small one-shot.
> 
> But even though the story got much longer, chapter- and time-wise, I intended from the beginning that Link should not see through Ganondorf's façade because it would be (in my opinion) kill the point of the fanfic entirely. I apologize to the Link fans but I'm certain that it became quite foreseeable that this wouldn't be a classically "Good always triumphs over Evil" ending.
> 
> Well, I hope you enjoyed the story as a whole as much as I had fun with writing it. Thanks for reading again. :)


End file.
